


Silver Dragon

by xlxharlequinxlx



Category: Final Fantasy IX
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-10-30 00:14:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10865058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xlxharlequinxlx/pseuds/xlxharlequinxlx
Summary: In which Garnet ends up with Kuja instead of Zidane.  There's more to the history than what it seems. What happens when Regent Cid sends Tantalus to rescue Garnet?  This is not super canon-esque.  All will be explained in due time.





	1. Negotiations

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I had written years ago on Fanfiction.net. As I was re-reading it… I was like… I have to fix this… like… Jesus… If you would all care for a ridiculous laugh, the original story is still up. It’s terrible in every way. I mean it is really, really... just... awful. XD

"You can have the girl, though I expected you’d want something else as compensation," Queen Brahne drawled on to the white haired man standing in the doorway. It was late, much too late for any normal meeting of decency to be going on for a Queen.

"Don't be silly, the girl is payment enough…" 

"Maybe so, but you can only have her on the condition that I still get to extract the eidolon's power from her,” Brahn responded.

"Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less," Kuja replied in a well-disguised disgusted voice.  _Patience, soon this ugly elephant lady will be out of the show for good._

"Excellent," the Queen said with glee. "I want you to take her tonight."

"Why so early?" Kuja asked, his blue eyes narrowing dangerously. "Surely you can't expect it to go unnoticed that the princess has disappeared in the night?"

"Don't take me for such a fool. I have already started spreading the news that she is to be married off to some prince on a distant continent," the Queen said, trying to sound insulted.

"How convenient for someone who didn't expect me to ask for her as a prize," Kuja retorted, a smile forming on his lips. "You must still have a soft spot for the girl. Once through with her you could have had her beheaded for some made up crime."

"Don't question my reasoning, just get her out of here, I will call upon you when I am ready to take the eidolons from her." Queen Brahne stood and motioned for Kuja to follow her out of her private chamber. Suppressing an eye roll, Kuja followed after her. Oh how he loathed working with the Queen, but it was necessary that his plan work.

Upon reaching Garnet's room Brahne allowed Kuja to enter first. Sneering at the soft sigh he emitted at the sight of the girl.

"So beautiful, even in sleep," Kuja said. "Can you assure she won't wake until I get her out of here?"

"I put a good bit of sleeping weed in her evening tea, she should be out for a good while," Brahne explained.

"Very well," Kuja replied as he moved over to the sleeping princess. She was still dressed in her daily attire, apparently too tired from the sleeping drug to change.  She was light as he lifted her in to his arms.  "There will be no re-negotiations. What's done is done," Kuja said. 

In the next moment he was gone, having jumped from the balcony to the silver dragon waiting for him just below the railing.

* * *

Kuja sighed.  It had been going on two days since he had brought Garent back with him.  Just how much sleeping weed did that stupid woman give the princess?  She had been out ever since he had taken her. Anger swirled in his eyes as he went to check on her once again.  Upon entering the room he had given to her, he was pleasantly surprised.  It seemed that Garnet had finally come around and was sitting on her bed, reading the letter that Brahne had instructed for him to leave for her.

Garnet's eyes swelled with unshed tears as she finished reading the message. She knew her mother had changed, she knew something was wrong, but she had no time to act. Looking up, she saw a strangely familiar man leaning in her door way.  She recognized him and yet she could not place who he was.  Silence danced between them, as their eyes locked.

Garnet studied his face; he was older than her, but she could not discern by how much.  Had she seen this man a few times around the castle?  Why did he seem so familiar to her?  Deciding that fear would not get her anywhere, she hardened her resolve and returned his gaze confidently.

Kuja watched fear pass across her face as she contemplated her current position, but it was soon replaced with one of defiance. Oh, she would make a wonderful Queen to his eternal kingdom.

"Do I know you?  What is the meaning of this?" Garnet found her voice, and it betrayed her, cracking slightly with unshed tears.

"Surely the princess can read, your mother explains everything," Kuja said calmly, deciding that showing his false sweetness to her now would be useless.  “As for who I am… you knew me once… a long time ago.”

"I can’t remember, and this… this doesn’t make any sense,” Garnet stumbled over her words. The reality of the situation was crashing cruelly down upon her shoulders. Kuja watched as she began to break down, this would never do. If she was to be his Queen it would not help if she was afraid of him, not like this. He never really liked the approach of ruling by fear anyway, it made things too boring.

"I'm sorry," Kuja lied. He couldn't say he honestly felt whatever emotion it was that caused mortals to feel sorry, but only said it to calm her. "It's alright, you’re safe here." Garnet did not look up at him or give any indication that she had heard what he said.  He allowed the silence to linger on before speaking again.

"I… hope to at least to be on some sort of speaking terms." He chose those last words carefully, not wanting to push her. The last thing he needed was for his future Queen to hate him. He could always find another, but he was set on Garnet.  As far as he was concerned she was the most beautiful princess, therefore deserving to be his Queen. He would have to warm up to her more than this, though.

"Dinner will be served shortly, maybe after that you would like a tour?" Kuja tried one last time.  This had piqued her curiosity. Finally, Garnet looked up to meet his gaze. There were two ways that this could be done. She could fight like hell and possibly get horrible treatment, or she could be agreeable and hope that he would be kind to her until she found a way out of this. Deciding the latter was better, she nodded.

"I think I would like that…" Garnet said guardedly.   

Kuja gave a curt nod before turning to leave her.

"I will come for you when dinner is served, you should be able to find everything you need in this room. Call out my name if you find yourself in need."

"Wait!" Garnet called after him, getting to her feet as though she meant to follow. Kuja stopped but did not turn around to face her. "What _is_ your name?"

" _Ah_ , it cuts me to the core that you don’t remember me," Kuja said dramatically, but the grin he had on his face when he finally turned to look at her gave him away.  "My name is Kuja, and I am glad to have you here Princess Garnet."

Garnet was bothered by his behavior.  He seemed polite enough, but she was still uneasy.  She honestly couldn’t recall meeting him before.  His attire was completely outlandish, and he was… his attitude… she just couldn’t put her finger on it.  All she knew was that she didn’t feel comfortable here.

It didn’t help that the tone in her mother's letter was so cold and rejecting. 

_Oh mother, what has happened to you…?_

* * *

Before long, Garnet was up and exploring her new room. Temporary, this is only temporary. Everything was lovely, fit for the princess she was.  There was a bed much like from her home against the wall, only instead of pink; everything was in dark blues and silvers. It gave her the feeling she was walking along the night sky. There was a large white wardrobe with many gowns, some for formal occasions others for casual wear. It was like Kuja had this all planned out and it frightened her a little. There was all the clothing she would ever need, a matching white dresser and vanity took up the rest of the wall space.  There were fine silver plated brushes and mirrors. Inside the vanity drawers rested make up, perfumes, anything a princess could ever want for.

It was absolutely bizarre.  Did another woman live here at some point?

After looking over everything, Garnet noticed a door that joined her room to a small wash room. A beautiful silver tub sat in the middle of the room.  Perhaps a nice hot bath would do her some good. 

Moments later, Garnet was lowering herself into the tub, allowing the warmth to relax her and take some stress away. Sinking lower till just her nose was above the water, she let her mind wander. She had already been out for a few days, what was going on at home?   She racked her brain trying to remember the white haired man who claimed to know her.

* * *

It had been about an hour and a half before Kuja came back for her. He could have barged into the room, but that wouldn't have been very polite at all.

"Princess, are you ready?" Kuja called.

It took only a moment before the door opened and Garnet stood before him.  She was beautiful even in the simple dress she chose from the wardrobe.  She did not meet his gaze, but instead kept her eyes trained on the ground. He could hardly hold back his smirk as he offered her his arm.  The girl blinked in surprise, hesitating longer than was appropriate.  She jumped slightly when he out right laughed at her.

“ _Please_ , to you my canary, _I am harmless_ ,” the sorcerer attempted to make light of their situation.  The blush that stained her cheeks was priceless, and she shook her head, allowing her fingers to gently curl around the proffered limb. 

"How have the accommodations treated you?" Kuja looked down at Garnet as she walked in silence beside him.

"Lovely. Thank you.”  Garnet was every bit the proper princess, relying on her years of strict upbringing to get her through this.

"This must be terribly uncomfortable for you," Kuja said trying to coax her into talking.  She resisted him, only giving the barest of nods to acknowledge his words. He mentally sighed, thinking it best they just stay in silence.  What a boring audience she was turning out to be.

"It is.  You claim that I know you, but the letter my mother wrote explained very little.  Why was I not informed of this arranged marriage?" Garnet sighed. Kuja was slightly surprised but pleased to hear her speak.  “Where have we met?”

"Don't worry; I'll be sure to tell you as much as I can." Kuja replied, leading her into the dining hall.

Garnet gasped quietly as she looked around the room. Kuja smiled at her awe as he led her over to the table and pulled out her seat for her.  Yes, his home was rather impressive even for someone who was used to royalty.   Pushing the chair in behind her, he took a seat across from her.  Garnet looked down the long oak table. It would have been ridiculous for them to sit at opposite ends; there would be no conversation at all.

All courses appeared in order as if by magic, and Garnet would not be surprised if that had been the case. She ate slowly, keeping her manners in check.

“I fear that if I try to explain our initial meeting, it would serve only to cause you more distress,” Kuja began.

“I don’t understand,” Garnet replied, searching his face for an answer.

“Walk with me then,” Kuja said. 

Once again he offered his arm to her, and once again she eyed him warily as though he were trying to ensnare her in a deadly trap.  If he was trying to get her to trust him, he was doing a poor job of it.

Kuja walked her through the palace; head high, pointing out important rooms or places Garnet would need to know.   He was obviously very proud of the elegance he had surrounded himself with as he explained of the beasts that guarded the corridors from intruders and of the sand whirlwinds that protected his home.  Once through with that, they stopped in the library and he allowed her to sit as he paced in front of her.

"I've told you everything I can about the palace.  What do you wish to know princess?" Kuja asked after a period of silence.

“Was I really sent here to be wedded to you?”  Garnet asked; the tone of her voice telling of her doubts.

“In a way,” Kuja replied cryptically.

“ _What does that even mean_?”  Garnet was exasperated, and her composure was slipping.  He was staring at her again, that infuriating gleeful look on his face as if knew of something absolutely hilarious and refused to share it with her.  How was it possible to hold a conversation with him and gain absolutely no information?

“Now is not the time,” Kuja finally answered, and he seemed distracted and completely unhinged at that moment.  She felt the need to tread carefully. 

An insane look teetered in his expression, and in that instant she feared she had done something wrong.  Kuja wanted nothing more than to reveal his master plan to his future queen.  He longed to have an audience to awe with his genius, to tell her how he would be the ruler of two great worlds.  Everything had worked out perfectly so far.  She was not ready he realized, but that was okay.  Anything worth having took time to prepare.

"Are you angry with me?" Garnet asked suddenly. It was random, not the question Kuja had expected her to ask. He had not raised his voice to her, nor did he get short with her. She hadn't spoken enough to offend him. _Why would she ask such a thing?_

The sorcerer stopped mid pace and looked into her curious brown eyes. She was so innocent he almost couldn't stand it.

Garnet could see the craze dispel from his eyes, masked by an over friendliness. She didn't think he'd answer her, but finally, he did.

"Of course not princess, why would I be upset with you?" Kuja continued to watch her curiously, and it didn’t seem she had a response for him.  “Never mind that,” he conceded when she did not speak again.  “Just know you are not at fault.”

"Are you all alone here?" Garnet didn't mean for the next question to fly out of her mouth like that, but it was just strange to her that he would have all of these arrangements made like he had company on a regular basis.

"I used to be, but you're here now." Kuja replied. Yes, there were the monsters that attacked intruders, but he worked alone for the greater part of it.

“Don’t you get lonely?”  The princess asked.  The more she distracted him with conversation the less unstable he seemed.

"I tend to keep busy; there isn't much time for loneliness." Kuja explained, eventually moving to take a seat beside her. He took notice of how Garnet seemed to tense slightly, but she made no move to get away from him.

“I wish you would tell me what I’m doing here,” Garnet tried again.

"You are a clever girl princess, you'll understand soon enough why you are here." Kuja said casting a glance at her.

“You can call me Garnet,” she responded after some time.

"As you wish,” Kuja agreed, wondering what thoughts she had twirling in that mind of hers.   This was going to make for a very interesting scene. What would she do when she finally found out what was to happen to her, when she remembered who he was?  If things went as planned, she would join him and use her Eidolons to help him with his plan. 

They were at a stalemate when he finally escorted her back to her room.

"Who are you really?" Garnet asked after a few moments of silence.   Her eyes found his, and she held his gaze.  Ah, she could be so unwavering, but he would frustrate her time and time again until he determined she was ready for the truth.  It was better for things to remain a mystery for now.  He would enjoy toying with her.

"Do not worry about that now, only trust that I am a friend. The rest will reveal itself in time." Kuja smirked; she was clearly not pleased with his answer.

“Since you insist,” Garnet replied.

“You should rest… If you need anything you need only call out.  Goodnight, my canary,” Kuja said, disappearing around the corner.

Garnet watched him go; his informal way of addressing her was strange and put her on edge.  He acted as though they had been friends for the longest time.  He also acted younger than he seemed, like a child trapped inside an adult’s body.

* * *

It was a clear night in Lindbulm, and the regent was waiting for his messenger to return.

"Well? What did he say?" Cid asked impatiently as Blank walked through the doors.

"Baku said that he and his crew would be more than happy to assist you, and that your pay is more than acceptable. They will head to Alexandria as soon as possible," the messenger explained.

"Very well," Cid said with a sigh. "That is all." Blank bowed and left Cid to his thoughts.

* * *

The next several days passed by without incident.  Garnet was left to her own devices for the majority of the time.  What Kuja was doing when he was not entertaining her, she did not know.  The beasts guarding the castle allowed her passageway and she spent a lot of her time reading in the library.  The reading material consisted mostly of play scores and poetry, not that she minded.  Her host was very strange indeed.  Always kind, for now at least.  She just couldn’t figure him out.

There was finally a break in routine.  Kuja was taking her somewhere, and she hoped that now might be the time for her to get away.

"Where are we going?" Garnet asked.

"To a small village called Dali. I need to make sure things are going accordingly," Kuja replied keeping his eyes forward.

Garent accepted his explanation without further question, following him outside to a balcony.  There didn’t seem to be any means of transportation here and she wondered how they were going to get anywhere.  She was waiting patiently for him to give her further instruction, a brow raised in question when he turned to her with a smirk pulling up the corner of his lips.  He looked absolutely devious, but gave no warning as he swept her up in to his arms.

"W… Wait! _What are you doing_?" Garnet asked frightened as he walked towards the edge of the balcony. Kuja chuckled, seeming almost gleeful.  He had never invaded her personal space like this before.  She was rigid, not relaxing in to his hold, but not struggling to free herself.

“Really, you’re overreacting,” Kuja said, though she was surprised he could stop laughing at her long enough to actually speak.  “I’m sure you’re used to your boring means of travel, but I’m not an ordinary being.”

Garnet stared at him, her mouth agape as if she meant to speak to him.  Her voice failed her and she could only watch as the next series of events unfolded.  She thought perhaps she was dreaming.

"Hold on," Kuja said as he jumped from the balcony. Garnet had to suppress a cry as she flung her arms around his neck and hid her face in his shoulder, an act of self-preservation. The short fall made her stomach drop, and she didn’t have the courage to look up even after they had stopped. She had the distinct feeling of tilting, or being held over unstable ground, like a floating dock of sorts. 

“Is this how you plan to spend the rest of the day?”  Kuja teased her, his shoulders shaking as he chuckled.

_Silly girl…_

Garnet slowly looked up from the safety of Kuja's shoulder. He was standing upon a silver dragon and they were flying. He wasn't holding onto anything but her.

_We're going to die…_

Garnet was unwilling to relinquish the grip she had upon him. Her eyes searched around in wonder.  She had never seen a continent like this before, it looked to be completely made up of sand and dirt.

_We're on a completely different continent?! This may be my only chance to reach Uncle Cid…_

"Have you ever been flying before?" Kuja asked, drawing Garnet away from her thoughts.  Her head turned to take her gaze away from the view of the continent, and she jerked when she realized just how close in proximity they were.  It was enough that she could feel his breath ghost across her cheeks.

"I- I… no, not like this. Just a few times before in one of uncle’s air ships…" Garnet answered.

Kuja gave a small nod to her response before setting her on her feet. She was frozen to the spot afraid to move away from him.  It made her cringe, yet she welcomed the arm he kept around her waist.  Her unease served only to fuel his amusement.  Looking over the side of the dragon, it was a long way down, one that she did not want to experience. She felt so exposed with the wind blowing all around her. In the airship you could forget you were thousands of feet from the ground, but on a moving dragon, it was not so easy.

"Are you scared?" Kuja asked, humor lacing his tone.

" _Yes_ ," Garnet whispered almost immediately, managing to sound annoyed.

"I won't let you fall." Kuja replied.  “You’ll see my canary, once freed from the cage, you won’t so willingly return next time.”

Garnet wasn’t sure what he was referring to, instead opting for silence, left with no choice but to trust that he wouldn’t let her down.

* * *

The theater district was bustling with fan girls as Baku made his way back to the hide out. He flung the door opened and laughed.

"Wake up ya lazy good for nothings. We got a job! A good paying one at that, get yer arses in gear! We head out in 15 minutes!" Baku didn't wait for a response and walked back out to wait outside.

"What a wake up," Zidane muttered rolling out of bed. "Yo, Cinna, I don't think he was joking you better get up."

"Yea, yea…" Cinna muttered. Shaking his head, Zidane climbed down the ladder and headed outside to talk to Baku.

"So, what's this all about?" Zidane asked once he was outside.

"We've got a missing princess to find." Baku said laughing. "Princess Garnet."

"I thought she was married off, not kid knapped," Zidane said stretching.

"If you'd like to believe that rubbish then go ahead… I thought you was quicker than that Zidane. The girl is taken in the middle of the night? The rumor of her marriage to this strange man that no one but the Queen knows was only started a few days before she was taken," Baku said.

"Yea, now that you put it like that, something doesn't seem right," Zidane said thoughtfully.   Moments later Blank, Marcus, and Cinna emerged from the hide out.

"Alright, the rest o' the crew is at the theater ship already, let's get a move on. We're goin' to Alexandria to see if we pick up any clues as to where the princess actually is," Baku said.

"I had a feeling that this whole 'marriage' story was a load of bull," Blank said, crossing his arms.

"Yea, yea, we have no time to waste, let's go!" Baku hollered, laughing and heading to the ship.

* * *

Garnet was deep in thought trying to formulate a plan to escape.

"Something troubles you?" Kuja asked, interrupting her  quiet contemplation.

"Not really," Garnet said slowly.  She was debating on telling him, she didn't know who he was really in league with.  “Can I ask you something?”  Dark brown eyes regarded him warily.

“Certainly,” was his response.

“Would you take me to see my uncle?”

Silence ensued.

As far as Garnet knew, Kuja was a prince from some distant continent whom she was supposed to be married to.  She didn’t realize at the time how far from the truth that really was.

"As you wish…" Kuja said.

Garnet whipped her head to face him. Had he honestly just said yes?

 "Don't look so surprised, you're not my prisoner," he added.  Still, she did not trust him.

_Excellent, I was hoping she would bring this up. She'll likely relay everything she knows to the regent. It's all going as it should be…_

"I… Thank you," Garnet said, averting her gaze.

"Well, as long as you promise to return with me, I don't see why I couldn't let you visit with your uncle for a while," Kuja responded, the amused smirk never leaving his face.

"Of course," Garnet replied, not sure if that was a promise she intended to keep. Maybe if he kept being agreeable she could tell her uncle everything she learned while staying with him.

It didn't take much longer for them to reach the village. Garnet was surprised to see that there were literally no adults around, and it appeared the children were running the village. She followed after Kuja quietly as he led her to an underground factory.

_So, this is where all the adults are…._

They walked through the tunnels and past machinery. Just what is this place?

Kuja left her only once to speak to one of the workers. Garnet took that time to explore a little. She came to a conveyer belt with eggs on it. It appeared to be taking them to a mist machine. She didn't have time to see what was on the other side for Kuja had found her. Those barrels that were in the first walkway had the sign of Alexandria on them…

"Curious are we?" Kuja asked. 

Garnet jerked and turned around keeping her eyes averted to the ground.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry…" The princess said; looking up in surprise as Kuja started to laugh.

"It's quite alright Garnet. Either way we must depart, especially if you want to see your family," her white haired companion said.

The princess offered a small smile, though she was unsure.  She was certain she would never get used to his constant invasion of her comfort zone as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to guide her out.

The sorcerer had hoped that she would be bold enough to look around. Getting Lindblum involved was a big part in his plan. He was certain now that the young princess could make that happen for him. The poor girl was playing right into his plan, and making it quite interesting at that. 

A few minutes later Garnet was glued to Kuja’s side as they were flying to Lindblum.  Another thing she would probably never feel comfortable with was his preferred mode of transportation.

"To Lindblum," Kuja said, and the dragon complied.  He held on to her not as though she were a person, but as though she were a precious belonging that he didn’t want to have ruined.

When they arrived at the castle, Kuja let the princess enter alone.

“I’ll be waiting for you here,” he had said when she realized he wasn’t following her and shot a questioning glace over her shoulder.  She nodded before making her way inside Dragon’s Gate.

"Princess Garnet? Is that you?" The guard asked.

"Yes, I've come to pay a visit to my uncle," Garnet said.

"So, is it true?  Were you married off?" The guard seemed skeptical. Garnet suppressed an eye roll thinking it better to uphold the charade in front of the castle guards.

"Yes, may I see my uncle now?" Garnet asked.  The guard still looked unconvinced, but allowed her onto the lift. The girl looked just like princess Garnet and the Regent would be able to verify if she was or not.

"We'll reach the top level shortly," the guard said, and he was right.  The lift came to a halt and Garnet was allowed to exit and make her way to the throne room.

"Princess Garnet," the guard on the left was the first to speak, "we weren't expecting you."

"I know, I apologize for appearing on such short notice, but what I need to discuss with the regent is of the utmost importance."

"Of course your highness," The guard said, opening the door for her.

Upon entering, Garnet bowed to her aunt and uncle.

"It is good to see you again Uncle Cid, Aunt Hilda," the dark haired girl said.

"My goodness," Hilda began, "Garnet is that really you?"

"Yes Aunt, I'm sorry I didn't announce my intent to visit earlier, but I was… _detained_ …" Garnet said with a sigh.

"So we've heard," Cid said. "Dear, you've grown into a lovely young woman. What happened? Where have you been for these past several days?"

"It's a long story uncle, but I will tell you everything I know," Garnet said. Collecting her thoughts she told the regent everything that had happened since she woke up in Kuja's palace. When she finally finished, Cid and his wife remained silent for a moment.

"So, he hasn't harmed you?" Cid asked.

"No, he's been very kind to me actually. I don't know what to think, but I believe I can find out more if I stay with him," Garnet suggested.

"I don't know dear, I'd fear for you safety," Hilda said.

"Is he here with you?" Cid questioned. "Obviously not in this room, but did he come to Lindblum with you?"

Garnet hesitated, if she said yes, he would want to see him, and she really didn’t see that going over well.

"No, he's not here as of this moment…" Garnet lied smoothly.

"Princess, I really think that you should stay here with us until we figure out what you mother is up to. We need to know what was being produced in that underground factory, and I know just the group to send," Cid said.

"I know," Garnet answered.  “…but I told him I would go back with him.   I don’t feel that he would stop me from seeing you again.”

Cid looked to his wife. The princess seemed set on doing something, anything, for her kingdom. She didn't appear distressed about her current situation, maybe it was worth a try.  The regent had a hard time justifying sending his niece back in to a potentially dangerous situation.

"Alright, but you cannot trust him…  Take this… It will send a sign to bring help if you are compromised,” Cid looked her in the eye, handing her a small crystal that when shattered would give away her location and signal the need for assistance. "Your father would never have forgiven me if I let anything happen to you."

"I understand, thank you Uncle, I promise to be careful," Garnet smiled.

"Very well, we hope to hear from you soon dear. Farewell," Hilda called as Garnet turned to leave.

"You shall," Garnet said as she walked down the hallway and out the doors.  She only hesitated a moment before she walked down the stairs.

As promised, Kuja was waiting for her outside the gate.

"Your talk went well?" Kuja asked.

"Yes," Garnet replied as they walked side by side to where the dragon waited.  “He is insistent that I visit again soon.”

“You can come here whenever you like,” Kuja said.  It made no difference to him if she wanted to see her family; their involvement would only further his plans.  Besides, if he was going to get her to trust him, it would be necessary that she not think of herself as his hostage.

The way back was not familiar, and the sky darkened unnaturally as they neared their destination.

“Are you taking me to Treno?”  Garnet asked in confusion.

"Yes, you may want to stick close little princess. As you know, it is night all the time.  It would be easy for a young lady like you to get herself into trouble," Kuja said with a smirk.

"I'm not a child, I can take care of myself,” Garnet answered.

"Of course not, I'm only concerned for your well-being," Kuja responded with a chuckle.   It wasn't a total lie.  He was concerned for her, concerned in the way that a child was worried that their favorite toy may be stolen.  He didn't want his new Queen to be injured.  It wouldn't go well if she got hurt.  He needed her for his plan to succeed as well.  Besides, she belonged to him, but just didn’t know it yet.

“Fine, I won’t go wandering,” Garnet said; mostly just to appease him as they walked towards the Kings Mansion auction house.  They did not enter through the front with the rest of the crowd, but a private back door that wasn’t accessible to anyone else.

"This place is amazing, who owns this?" Garnet asked looking around the extravagant establishment with some appreciation.

"I do," Kuja answered.

Garnet turned her gaze towards him. Just who was this guy? He obviously had connections.  Was he really royalty, or perhaps a well off noble? 

"Don't look so surprised my canary, let us get some food and then perhaps sit in on the auction?"

"That would be alright," Garnet said after a moment of contemplation.  She would have to try and find out a way to get more information from him.

 Kuja led her to one of his private rooms.  It was simple in décor, but still beautiful, a place setting for two under the dim lighting.  The food was already on the table, steaming away as though it had just been put there seconds ago. He walked her over to her chair and pulled it out, pushing it in behind her as she sat. He moved smoothly across the floor to sit on the chair opposite of her.

It was almost like he was trying to court her, but everything was a joke.  The princess wasn’t sure how to take him at any given time, let alone trying to determine his intentions.  It was an exhausting game to play. 

When they were finished, she looked up to find him staring at her from across the small table.  The humor was gone from his expression for once and he was the one that seemed to be deep in thought.

"Is there… something on my face?" Garnet asked.

Kuja's mask whipped back in to place, a smirk crossing his face.

"It's nothing, princess," Kuja answered, she didn’t believe him.

They were settled on a private balcony, and down below were seats.  A well-dressed man stood on stage announcing that the auction would begin in five minutes. While they waited, she sat on the edge of her seat watching people walk in and sit down. Soon enough the auctioneer was calling out prices for the first item. The value of whatever was being auctioned off quickly rose.   It was almost amusing to watch two nobles fight over the rare artifacts up for bid, neither wanting to give in, and apparently not caring how much they had to pay. Eventually one would cave and the other would win, but the prices went ridiculously high.

Finally it came to the last item of the evening. It was a beautiful red gem that hung off of a gold chain. Kuja did not miss the way Garnet's eyes lit up as she saw the necklace.

"Do you want it?" Kuja asked as the bidding began. Garnet looked over at him curiously. She did take a liking to the necklace but she didn't want him to buy it for her, she would never be able to accept it.   He could tell by the way she averted her gaze that she would never ask him for such a thing.  He would show her he could be generous.  Snapping his fingers the auctioneer stopped the bidding.

"I'm sorry folks, but the auction is over for now, this prize necklace may be up for bids at the next auction," the auctioneer said. Once the nobles exited the building, the auctioneer walked up to the balcony where Kuja sat.

"For the lady I presume?" Kuja gave a short nod, and the auctioneer walked behind Garnet clasping the necklace for her. Kuja handed the man a sizeable bag of coins and dismissed him. She was uncomfortable, her expression gave her away.  They were hardly friends, every time they spoke to one another it was like an endless riddle.

" _I can't take this_ …" Garnet stuttered moving her hands to undo the clasp.

Kuja laughed, gracefully capturing her fingers with his own to stop her.

“Think of it as an apology if you must,” Kuja said. 

The poor girl was so confused by the time he escorted her to the room she would be staying in.  Nothing he did was genuine, or so it seemed.  Perhaps given some time he would slip up and let his guard down around her.

“Sleep well,” Kuja said, giving her a mock bow.

“ _Thank you_ ,” Garnet responded, not being able to keep the upward inflection from her voice.  He was laughing at her again as he left her to get some sleep.  Maybe a good rest would allow her mind to recharge.

 


	2. Come A Little Closer and You'll See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't always what they seem to be.

They had been staying in Treno for a few days now.  Kuja had given her a tour of the city, and carried on as though this were just some sort of vacation.  Garent had yet to see him in any sort of bad mood.  That is… until he received an unwelcome visitor. 

The man was older and came late in the night.  The only reason Garnet had known he was there was because she was troubled by nightmares that had her wandering the expansive, elegant halls alone.  Of course she took the chance to eaves drop, her bare feet making little to no noise on the plush carpeting.

“How sweet of you to visit…”

Garnet could hear Kuja address the man with a cold tone, not something she was used to from her child-like host.

“Kuja, I’ve had enough of your scheming… you must put an end to this,” the old man replied.

“Hn, you know I don’t answer to the likes of you anymore,” Kuja responded.

“This rebellion is ridiculous!  Your plans will never work!” The old man was losing his patience.

“You have no right to meddle in my affairs… you cast me aside…” Kuja bit out, almost sounding hurt.  “I’m no longer a pawn in your senseless mission.”

“You are out of line,” Garland hissed, taking the jab more personally than what seemed reasonable.  “Let the girl go, she won’t help you… she doesn’t even remember who you are…”

“No… not yet… but when she does…”

“ _What_?   She’ll come to your aide?  No.  Once she remembers, she’ll run from you just as she did in the past life,” Garland droned on, his tone bored. 

"She didn't run... you took her from me," Kuja responded, his voice was dripping venom.

Garnet was frozen to the spot, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of what they were talking about.  They couldn’t possibly mean her could they?  It was the only explanation…  She missed the rest of their discussion, almost caught red handed when the old man grasped the handle about to open the door.

“So, you finally understand.  Do not make me interfere again.  I _will_ stop you if I must,” Garland warned.  The hallway was empty when he went to leave, the young princess tailing close behind him.  Whatever he had told Kuja had rendered the younger man speechless.  

Would Garland stop and talk to her if she made herself known?

The princess followed the old man from the safety of the auction house and down a long and winding alley.  She had just mustered up the courage to say something to him, but when she rounded the corner after him he was gone.  She stared down the street, looking this way and that, but it was as if the old man had just vanished.

“Ah, lass, what’re ya doing out here alone?”

Garnet whipped around as an imposing stranger closed in on her.  He swayed from side to side, stumbling forwards.

“I’m not alone,” Garnet lied quickly, but the inebriated man didn’t believe her.  He laughed loudly, crowding her in to a corner.  His hands slammed down next to her head, trapping her on either side.

“Now, I may have had a few drinks darlin’ but I’m not blind, ya ought to allow me to escort you…” He slurred, his hand leaving the wall to graze against her thigh.  He was quickly interrupted.

“You shouldn’t touch what doesn’t belong to you.”

Garnet warily looked to the side to see that Kuja had found her.  Either he knew she had been sneaking after Garland, or had tried to come after the old man himself.

“I wouldn’t let what’s mine roam the streets alone,” the drunkard retorted.

Garnet was confused by the cold fury in Kuja’s eyes.  She had never seen him this tense; she had never seen him as anything but jovial.  He was terrifying.

“Is that so?”  Kuja responded thoughtfully.  “My mistake, how about you take a message back to all of the scum loitering around these streets…” 

Garnet’s assailant was ripped away from her by in invisible force; she could practically hear the powerful magic crackling in the air.  The man was suspended in the air above them, flailing and panicking with nothing to hold on to.  Kuja’s arm was outstretched, manipulating the motion of the floating man.

“This girl… _is mine_ ,” Kuja hissed, “if I see you or any of your like touching her again… I _will_ put an end to you.”

“I- I’m sorry!” The man blubbered.  “P-please!  Put me down!”

“As you wish,” Kuja relented, allowing the man to fall from the sky and down to the ground with a sickening thud.  He was not dead, but badly injured.  Garnet could only stare wide eyed at the scene before her, her mind telling her to run as Kuja stalked towards her.  Her legs wouldn’t work as she recoiled back against the wall, causing him to hesitate. 

The sorcerer’s expression eased as he realized he was scaring her.

“Didn’t I warn you that the streets were dangerous alone?”  Kuja asked her, his tone concealed with a placidity that he did not feel at that moment.

“I… yes, but I… _Who was that_?”  Garnet asked, giving herself away.  She watched as his mask splintered and he tried to hide whatever it was he was feeling from her.

Kuja ran a hand through his hair, tossing it back over his shoulder, feigning an air of nonchalance.

“No one you need to worry about, he is of no threat to you,” Kuja answered.

“Maybe, but he seems to be a threat to you,” Garnet pushed, and he was surprised.  Up until this point she had been quiet and polite company, as she was no doubt raised to be.

“My, my… _really_ … your concern warms me to the pit of my soul, but now is not the time or place for explanation,” Kuja answered, a feral grin crossing his face and a dramatic hand coming up to clutch at his chest.  “May I take you home?”

Garnet blinked in surprise as he snapped back in to his cheerful persona.

“Yes, but why won’t you tell me how we know each other?”

Kuja was caught off guard, and his expression turned serious once more.

“Just how much of that conversation did you happen to overhear my little canary?” Kuja questioned her.

“That I know you, but I can’t remember.  Also that if I did… I…”  Garnet trailed off, but followed after him when he began walking back towards the auction house.

“Do you believe that souls return to the earth?  Do you believe that it’s possible for two parts of the same soul to split and be lost in two different people?”

“I… suppose?”  Garnet faltered. 

“How far back _can_ you remember?”  Kuja prodded.

“I sometimes have nightmares… there’s a floating red eye… and it destroys everything it comes in to contact with,” Garnet admitted.  “I can’t really remember much from my childhood.”

“Perhaps in time then,” Kuja conceded, and he seemed different, almost hurt.

“ _I’m sorry_ ,” Garnet said suddenly.  “I’m sorry that I don’t remember.”

“It’s not your fault,” Kuja replied.  He couldn’t say he felt guilt for lying to her.  Lying through omission was still lying. He had never been a child.  He never had to grow up and develop the complex emotions most people had.  His main objective had been to incite war, he didn’t have time for much else, but now… now that Garland had thrown a curve ball in to the play, he was going to have to think of another way.

“What is it that you need my help for anyway?”  Garnet proceeded.  They were back inside by now and he was walking her to her room.

“When the time is right, I will tell you,” Kuja answered.  The dilemma of learning of his mortality weighed heavily upon his mind, and he just wasn’t able to process it.  Much like when she was taken from him the first time, despite what he had gained... he had never learned to deal with such complex emotions.  It was trying...  “It’s late; there will be more time for talk tomorrow.”

Garnet nodded her agreement, watching him as he left her.  He turned around only once, a half-hearted smirk on his face.

“Please refrain from wandering the streets alone again,” he said.  It wasn’t the comment she was expecting.

“I won’t,” Garnet promised.

The princess couldn’t say they were nightmares exactly.  When Kuja left her and she had finally fallen to sleep, she remembered a distant village… she was young a child living with her parents.  A mysterious man with white hair was there as well.  She knew him, but could not recognize him in her dream.

The next morning came without further incident.  Kuja had not come for her, and she wondered if maybe he was avoiding her.  She felt like she was so close to uncovering something; that it danced just beyond her fingertips.  Frustration marred her face and she went to get some fresh air out on the small balcony that adjoined her room.   A warm spring breeze tossed her long hair about. Moving outside, she rested her chin in both her hands and leaned against the railing. You could see most of the city from here.

"Careful princess, someone might be out to steal ya away when you're just standing there looking so pretty." Garnet whipped around to see none other than Zidane standing there with his arms crossed, leaning casually against the wall as if he'd been there the whole time.

"Who are you?" Garnet asked, eyeing him cautiously.

"I was sent by your uncle to keep an eye on you.  I’m just making sure you recovered from your eh… encounter last night…”

" _Encounter_?" Garnet managed to sound offended. “If that's what you want to call it, then yes, I'm fine," she said crossing her arms and turning away from him.  “How long have you been following me?”

“Whoa, what's with the hostility beautiful? You got saved didn't you?" Zidane asked with a smile. Garnet merely replied with a huff. Why must he be so irritating? "So, where's your silver knight princess?"

Garnet was rendered speechless for a moment and the thief was almost amused at the fury that welled up in her eyes.

“Excuse me?  I don’t know what you’re talking about.  Shouldn’t you know?  Aren’t you supposed to spying on him as well?”  Garnet questioned

"Nah, the others are tailing him. I on the other hand, have the honor of following your pretty face around the world." Zidane smirked.

"No, I think not," Garnet said irritated. She turned around, her long hair flying around her face as she heard him laughing at her. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, you're something else princess; you know that?" Zidane smirked. "I better go, don't get yourself into too much trouble, alright?" With that the thief moved and jumped from the balcony onto the nearest roof, and disappeared down into the nearest ally. Garnet rolled her eyes, and stepped back inside, closing the doors tightly behind her.  She should have known her uncle wouldn’t trust her to be able to handle this situation.  It was infuriating and soured her disposition for the rest of the day.  It was so much so that Kuja wondered why she was in such a foul mood when he came to see her later on.  Surely she wasn’t still angry about last night was she?  She was adorable when she was furious, but he tried not to let her know that.

“Would you care to see a play with me this evening?”  Kuja asked.  Why he was spending his time on such mundane activities was unknown.  He never did anything he didn’t want to do.  Now that his plans were in motion, he had to invest some time in his other goal… getting Garnet to remember. 

"Yes, I would like that," Garnet replied, forcing a smile.  She was not nearly as good of an actor as he was, but he didn’t push her.

They ate dinner together, nothing really out of the ordinary, and he escorted her to the theater to see her favorite play, "I want to be Your Canary".   Garnet sat captivated, on the edge of her seat.  She had remembered seeing this play with her mother and father every year on her birthday.  What had happened since then?

_Father… if you were still here, none of this would have happened…_

"What's the matter Garnet? Didn't you enjoy the play?" Kuja asked, as he led her back to the auction house.

"No, it was lovely.  My favorite play actually, I was just thinking," Garnet replied.

“About?”

“My father,” Garnet answered truthfully.  “We used to see the play every year on my birthday.”

“I see,” Kuja replied, and he was unusually subdued.

“Are you alright?”  Garnet asked after some time had passed.  They were taking the long way back and he seemed to want to prolong their time together.

“Of course, how ridiculous, how could I not be?”  The sorcerer answered, plastering a smirk to his face.  He had been different ever since his meeting with Garland.

“What did that old man say to you?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing more than another small obstacle,” Kuja brushed it off.  He was in denial about what Garland had told him, that he wasn’t immortal, that he was just temporary… a thing to be used and then discarded.  He could feel the anger bubbling back up inside of him.  Yet, the sorcerer still had managed one thing; at least she was back at his side… for now.  Despite her near constant state of confusion, having her near him eased his troubled mind.  He had never had to think about things like this before.  He had never had to feel the emotions that were currently swirling around in his head.  Part of it he knew was because of the soul they shared.  When he found out where she was and then had been ordered to destroy that place…  He had let her go, hoping that he would have the chance to find her again.

* * *

The sun had long since disappeared over Lindblum, and the Regent was just entering the conference room for another meeting with the members of Tantalus.

"So what did you call us here for?" Baku asked. "We just met last night." The leader of Tantalus leaned casually back against the wall, his men either sitting or standing in the same fashion.

"Considering the recent attack on Burmecia… I believe Clerya's in danger," the Regent said. "It is clear Brahne's objectives are to destroy the last of the main kingdoms…" Cid didn't have time to finish his sentence.   A dragoon dressed in red staggered through the doors, looking tired and wounded.

"Freya!" Zidane called moving over to catch her before she fell.

"Please Regent, we beg for your assistance!" Cid looked upon the dragon knight in front of him, perhaps they were too late. "Clerya has been annihilated by Queen Brahne's black mages and an Eidolon! We managed to save the king and the few remaining from Burmecia; along with a few of the town's people of Clerya, but we are in desperate need of a place to stay."

“How is this possible?  The queen was not able to extract Garnet’s Eidolons…  She must have another source…. What happened to the sand barrier?" Cid asked.

"They performed the ceremonial dance, and then the sand barrier just died away! Once we escaped they put the tree up in flames. It is surely nothing but ashes now," Freya explained.

"Where are the survivors?" The regent looked at her curiously.

"They are waiting inside Dragon's Gate."

"Very well," Cid sighed. "Zidane, go with her to help organize the survivors to be brought up on the lift in an orderly manner. Get the injured to the castle infirmary, and let the other's rest in the soldier's quarters. That is the best I can do until we can make a space for them to stay in the theater district…"

"Thank you Regent," Freya said. With Zidane's help, she righted herself and stood upon shaky feet. Once sure she could handle walking, the two made their way to the lift.

"It appears the Queen is always one step ahead of us," Cid sighed.  “I think we need to get the princess back to safety with us…”

"So, what are your orders then?" Baku asked, not really caring what they had to do, knowing the pay would be good.

"She might be safer with that Kuja guy though," Blank said, earning incredulous looks from the rest of the gang, the Regent included. "Think about it. According to Zidane he saved her from the streets and has yet to turn her over to the Queen.  We know there have been messages getting through to him about her wanting to extract the Eidolon’s from the princess.  He’s just been ignoring them.  Besides, the chance of Brahne being able to take him down doesn’t seem very likely."

"Blank may be on to sumthin' here," Cinna said.

"That's all well, but _what does_ he want with her?" The Regent questioned. "What if he is just protecting her until he needs to use her for his own gain?"

"What would be the point of defending her?  With the way Zidane said he reacted, it looked like he may actually care about her," Blank explained.

"You may be right, but I can't wait around for her to be hurt to find out that he doesn't!" Cid put a hand to his forehead. He had to make a decision. Blank did have a good point; he may be putting his niece in greater danger by taking her away from the strange sorcerer who. He thought back to the last time he had seen the young princess. She hadn't seemed distressed, almost eager to be able to stay with her supposed husband. With everything that had been going on, the princess had been all but forgotten about among the people. "Alright, this is what I want you to do…"

* * *

Garnet would never get used to waking up at night, knowing that it was morning. She wondered how long they would be staying here.   She was just getting ready for the day when her balcony doors flew open.  She dropped the brush she had been using and it clattered noisily to the ground.  She could see Zidane enter behind her as she stared at his reflection in the mirror.

“So you’ve decided that barging in is acceptable now?”  Garnet questioned.

“Listen, we’ve got a bit of problem,” the thief began.

"Yes, you're in here…" Garnet said, causing Zidane to chuckle.

"That's not what I mean," the thief replied. "Your mother has taken out Clerya."

Garnet blinked slowly.  The information registering more slowly than it should have.

“ _My mother!?_   _My_.   _Mother_.   _has been destroying the other kingdoms_?  How have I not heard of this already?”  She was incensed.  Had Kuja kept this from her?  If so he had another thing coming when she saw him again.

"Yea… we’re not sure where she’s getting her weapons from or what she’s trying to achieve.  The next step that makes the most sense is that the next target will be Lindblum," Zidane said slowly.

"What do we need to do?" Garnet asked.

"We suspect that your new “husband” has been supplying her with black mages… the thing that doesn’t make sense is how she’s harnessed the power of Eidolons…”  Zidane looked the young princess over with concern.  He wasn’t sure how she would take this news.

Garnet averted her gaze, her hands shaking as she fisted them in the fabric of her dress.  The warehouse in Dali… it all made sense now…

"Well, what are you waiting for?   Shouldn't you be jumping into my arms and begging for me to rescue you?"  Zidane asked, trying to make light of the situation.

“What? _No_.  I need to talk to him… to sort this out…”  Garnet bit back, unable to stop the feelings of betrayal that began wheedling away at her confidence.

“You… need to talk to him.”  Zidane repeated; his tone incredulous.  “I just told you who he was and-“

“ _No_.  You don’t understand,” Garnet cut him off.  There was more to the story than the thief was aware of.  She couldn’t leave Kuja until she figured out what was missing from her memory.

"I don’t want to fight with you about this… What do we need to do to help my Uncle?" Garnet asked.

"You cut right to the point." Zidane shrugged. "You don't have to do anything but stay safe. The Regent is worried that if you're anywhere near Lindblum the Queen will be able to get you and take your Eidolons to further her destructive army."

“I’m a summoner?”  Garnet was disturbed by this bit of material, there was too much she didn’t know about herself.  She knew the answers would lie with Kuja and that old man who had been here.  She had to find out the truth…  She was upset that her uncle had kept her in the dark, but then again…

_Of course, Uncle Cid would never ask me to use my magic… even if it meant having a chance to help save Lindblum. He wouldn't want me to feel like a tool used for war.  He probably thought it was best I never knew about my heritage…_

“Yes, we’ve found out a lot of information spying on the queen and intercepting her messages,” Zidane explained.

Garnet was silent for several minutes after that.  Part of her was glad to find out; the other part was upset and she felt deceived that no one had told her before this moment.

"I can't just sit here though!" Garnet put her hands on her hips, a look of frustration crossing her face.

"I'd take you back with me if you promise not to be too much of a hassle," Zidane replied with a smirk.

"Won't my uncle be angry you brought me back, though?" Garnet asked.

"He was pretty indecisive. He couldn't decide which was safer for you, so I came to let you decide what you wanted to do.  You can come back with me and maybe use your eidolons to try and help defend the castle, or you can stay here with that girly man."  Zidane crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. It was still fairly early in the day, though you couldn't tell it from being in Treno.

Garnet was quiet for several minutes.

"Is he that good in bed that you have to think about it this long?"  Zidane teased her, trying to provoke her.

" _What_!? No!" Garnet whipped her head to the side throwing a glare that could kill. He's so insufferable! "I want to go back with you and help!" She didn't feel so confident about leaving Kuja. How would he react?  She didn’t want to leave, not yet, not when she was so close to figuring things out, but if she really had the power to help then she had to try.  It would be hard to fight back against her mother, but she could not allow her to keep hurting innocent people.

"Alright then princess, let's go." Zidane said. Garnet sighed, hesitating before she followed him out to the balcony.  Instead of sweeping her up in his arms as Kuja would have, he kneeled down so she could climb on his back.  She took one last look over her shoulder before she allowed the thief to give her a piggy back ride.  She in no way felt comfortable with her current situation and had to suppress a small cry as he jumped from the balcony.  Her long dark brown hair whipped up into the air behind her as he landed on a roof and then jumped down into an ally. Once he landed he kneeled down again as Garnet shakily got herself back onto solid ground.

Zidane didn't say anything, but looked over his shoulder from time to time to make sure she was still coming. Garnet followed behind him silently.  Once they exited the city, Garnet saw a green chocobo. She had only ever seen yellow ones.

"What kind of Chocobo is that?" Garnet asked.

"It's a mountain Chocobo. It can scale cliffs, and it's the fastest way to get to Lindblum and back without an air ship," Zidane explained.

“ _WARK!_ ”  The chocobo knelt down so that Zidane and Garnet could climb on its back.

"Hold on, it's going to be a bit bumpy," Zidane said over his shoulder, smirking when he felt her arms wrap around his waist. "Let's go Choco, to Lindblum." Garnet squeaked as the chocobo began moving at a swift pace.

The journey was long, but it would have taken days by foot.  They stopped frequently, and it was early evening when they reached Dragon's Gate.  Zidane hopped off of Choco's back and turned to help Garnet. Resting his hands on her waist, she braced herself by holding his shoulders as he lifted her from the Chocobo and set her down.

"Thank you," Garnet said.

"What's with you?" Zidane asked, earning a surprised look from the princess. "You're all witty when I talk to you before, and now you clam up?"

"You’re helping me to be useful, but you’re still a stranger," Garnet explained.   

“Hardly any more than your supposed husband,” Zidane argued as they entered the gate.

“I’ve spent weeks with Kuja, this is only the second time I’ve really been around you,” Garnet said.  She was confused when Zidane had them let off at the middle level instead of the top level of the lift.  "Where are we going?" She asked.

"Well, the Regent would be pretty pissed if he knew that I brought you here, so I'm taking you to the Tantalus hide out." Zidane looked over his shoulder as they boarded the air cab. A few minutes later they were in the theater district and Garnet was again following Zidane. When they entered the hide out there was no one there. "Make yourself at home princess while I fill you in on the plan," Zidane said.

"Alright," Garnet replied taking a seat and watching Zidane intently.

"We expect the attack to come tonight or tomorrow night. The regent has the citizens set up in two different strong holds. One is in the business district, and the other is Dragon's Gate." Zidane explained.

"I don't remember seeing many people on our way through though," Garnet said looking a bit confused.

"The plan isn't going into effect until about a half hour from now. We got here just in time, before the hordes of people saw you," Zidane said with a smirk. "Just relax for now; it's going to be a rough few days."

Garnet didn't know how long she had been asleep; she didn’t even know she had nodded off until Zidane was shaking her awake.

"Hate to wake you sleeping beauty, but we're under attack! We need to get you to the castle!" Zidane's voice was calm, and she didn’t understand how he could be so relaxed at a time like this.

Garnet grew nervous as he led her through the streets and alleys; she had never harnessed her summoning powers before.  She wasn’t even sure she could do it. The air cabs were no longer running, making Zidane lead her through a very un-familiar part of the city. Every time he weakened, Garnet healed him so that he could cut their path through the black mage army. Thankfully most of the mist monsters were focused on breaking through the stronghold of where the one group of civilians was being guarded.

"How much longer will it take?" Garnet asked. Her voice must have given away her apprehension for Zidane looked over at her with an almost sympathetic look.

"Don't worry princess, everything will be fine. We're almost there, stay close," Zidane said.

They were just about to make their way out of a long ally when a large black mage flew down in front of them. It didn't look like the others, being much taller and had wings black as death.

"I am here for the princess, stand aside or be annihilated," the mage said. "I am black waltz no. three. Lucky for you, waltz's one and two are currently detained claiming the castle." The black waltz's voice was raspy, and there was something clearly artificial about it.

"We didn't come all this way just for you to steal her away," Zidane said jumping in front of Garnet and drawing his daggers. This black waltz was very heavy on magic attacks, quickly beating Zidane down. Even with Garnet’s help, it didn't look as though they could hold out much longer.   Before long Zidane was finally exhausted and passed out before Garnet's feet. The princess began to panic as a few stray black mages wandered up behind her leaving her trapped between them and the black waltz. Tears began to form in her eyes as she dropped to her knees beside Zidane, shaking him.

"Please Zidane, wake up! I really need you," Garnet cried out. The other black mages stayed back as the black waltz closed in on her. She looked up, unable to halt the tears rolling down her cheeks.

_This can’t be happening…_

 Garnet clung to Zidane’s passed out form, though he did fade in and out of consciousness. 

“ _STAY AWAY_!” Garnet shrieked, and something snapped as she willed the monsters away.  The earth began shaking beneath them.

Ifrit, the devil summon burst forth from the ground, emitting an ear shattering roar. The heat of the flames made Garnet wince as she watched the eidolon growl and form giant fire balls with its clawed hands. The ground cracked beneath the force of its power as it hurled the infernos towards their enemies, effectively taking out all the black mages that had previously trapped her. Turning, Ifrit now stood in front of Garnet and the injured Zidane. Letting out another roar it conjured another stream of fire and blasted the black waltz into the ally wall before disappearing.

Garnet stared wide eyed at the scene before her, her grip tight on Zidane. The black mages were gone; all save for the black waltz that seemed to be short circuiting.

"Must… m… must retrieve… p…princess… use… f… force… if…ne… necessary…" The black waltz stuttered and twitched as it stumbled forward towards the princess.

Garnet struggled to get up with Zidane to try and escape, but she could not move him.  She didn’t know if she had the strength to summon again. She could feel the electricity in the air as the black waltz raised its staff, preparing to thundaga them in to the ground. She closed her eyes, and hugged Zidane tightly, she couldn't just leave him there.  Her eyes were clamped shut, but the blow never came.  She jerked hearing lightning strike, but it was the black waltz that had been destroyed.  Leaning forward slightly over Zidane, tears fell freely from her face. There was no one in the ally way, and it was then that she looked up to see Kuja flying down for her on his silver dragon.

Kuja had not planned to return to Treno that night, he was far too interested in seeing how Brahne demolished Lindblum, but he was uncharacteristically concerned about the girl. He had some inkling that he had been tailed, but didn't see any real threat in it until he went back to find Garnet gone…

The sorcerer was impressed by the girl’s ability to summon, though it was not enough to completely destroy the black waltz.  He was infuriated by the sight of Zidane.  So… the weakling had lived.  Kuja had not thought twice about his successor since he had stolen him from Terra and left him to fend for himself.  _How dare that fool try to steal her away_ …  He was never going to lose her again.

Garnet couldn’t move from where she kneeled, her tears started anew at the sight of her current rescuer.  She didn’t know if she should go to him or run from him.  He was livid, and she wasn’t exactly sure as to why. 

Her shoulders were still quivering as Kuja closed the distance between them and she could not stop herself.  When he offered his hand to help her up, she flew in to his arms.  The feelings of fight or flight had left her a trembling mess; she wasn’t sure when she had started to associate his presence with the feeling of safety.  Maybe when he had defended her that night in Treno… she didn’t know.  The girl clearly needed this time to recover and know that they had survived at least this far.  Being sheltered had its disadvantages, and it showed as this was her first time out among any serious conflict.

Kuja froze; his eyes were wide.  No one had dared touch him before without invitation.  Physical affection was not a thing he was accustomed to.  The last time someone had offered any sort of positive contact had been… it was her… before she… His eyes fell closed and his brow furrowed.  The memory was too painful for him to think on long.  Instead, he let his arms come around her.

"Just what had you hoped to accomplish little princess," the white haired man murmured.

“I couldn’t let her do this… I had to try and stop her,” Garnet explained.

"The queen has withdrawn. The castle is still intact, it is favorable that the Regent is fine," Kuja said, seeming to reign in his anger for now.  Untangling one of his arms from around her, he capriciously pointed at the body of the unconscious Zidane and he was transported away.

"Where did you send him?" Garnet was worried.  After all, Zidane had protected her.

"To the castle, they will take care of him there," Kuja replied, as though it wouldn't have mattered if he had sent him off the nearest cliff.  "You do realize what could have happened if I had not found you," Kuja began.

"Yes…" Garnet said cautiously.

" _Do you really_?”  The sorcerer’s voice was tinged with an unhinged amusement.   “Do you realize that Black Waltz may very well have fried you within an inch of your life, just to take you back to your mother so that she could steal your eidolons?" Kuja asked.   He eyed her skeptically. "She would have killed you after that, assuming the Black Waltz had its programming straight enough to not kill you first."

“I don’t understand why you’re keeping me in the dark.  If I was so important to you, why wouldn’t just tell me?” Garnet asked, turning the conversation away from her recent actions.

“I can’t force you to remember,” Kuja bit out, pulling away from her entirely.  “If things do not go as pl-“

" _What does that even mean_?  Why is this so important?" Garnet cut him off and stared into his eyes, seeming to plead with him to stop whatever insanity he had planned.

"Because, this world will no longer exist if I don't. I cannot allow that old man to have his way. So, if you care about this stupid little planet of yours at all, you'll not do anything else to distract me," Kuja said slowly. "That is all you need to know.”

There was a long pause, and Kuja appeared to be debating on how he wanted to proceed.

    
“There is something I must do,” he began, seeming to have calmed down.

“What?”

“I need to make sure affairs are in order,” he explained.

“You’ve been supplying my mother with the black mages.”  It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.”

“Is that where you’re going?”  Garnet asked.

“No, there is something else I must see to… it’s not safe for you there,” Kuja answered.

“ _You’re leaving me_?”

Kuja looked at her sharply, looking conflicted between the desire to draw her close again and simply end their conversation where it was.

“Don’t. _say_ it like that,” Kuja said.  “I thought you’d be happy to be back with your uncle.”

“I want to know who you are,” Garnet replied stubbornly.

“You already know who I am,” Kuja sighed, again seeming wounded by her.

The princess couldn’t decide if he had been changed by the information Garland gave him, or if he was just becoming tired of acting in front of her.  Perhaps it was a little of both, but it didn’t seem he was ready to tell her the truth.

“You know what I meant, I… I still have a lot I want to talk with you about, so you better come back for me,” Garnet demanded.

“As you wish, princess,” Kuja relented, as if he had any intentions of not returning for her.

* * *

It was a few days later when the Regent was sitting in the throne room with his wife Hilda. The repairs had been coming along as well as could be expected, but what would happen now?

"Uncle?"

"Garnet?" Regent Cid stared at the door as his young niece walked through carrying a small bag. "What happened? Are you alright?" The concern was obvious as he watched the princess walk in slowly.

"I'm sorry, but I need to make a request. May I please stay for a few days?" Garnet asked. She kept her gaze on the floor, feeling like a beggar.

"Of course niece," Cid said.

"Don't be silly dear, you know you are always welcome," Hilda replied as well. Garnet smiled.

"May I ask why you are staying?" Cid asked.  Garnet withheld a sigh; of course he would want to know.

"I don’t really know, just that it’s safe for me here," Garnet explained.

"You don't know where he went dear?" Hilda asked, though Garnet had not exactly come out and said that Kuja had left her behind.

"No, just that I couldn’t go," Garnet said.

"I see. Thank you Garnet, please go make yourself comfortable," Cid said looking at her thoughtfully. To him she seemed distanced and uncomfortable in their presence. Watching her walk away, he wondered what had changed about his niece.

"Don't worry yourself too badly dear," Hilda said resting her hand on Cid's arm. Cid tilted his head to the side, confused by the knowing look on his wife's face. 

The princess couldn’t remember a time where she was more uncertain.  Everyone had been lying to her or keeping her in the dark.  It was frustrating, and she just needed someone she could trust.

Garnet had barely gotten settled in the guest room when a blonde-haired, monkey-tailed man entered her room uninvited.  It seemed to be becoming a habit.

"Hey Princess, you bored yet?" Zidane asked. He smirked and stretched slightly.

"How did you even know I was here?" Garnet eyed him suspiciously.

"Your Uncle told me, thought you might like some company," Zidane explained. The princess sighed, and rolled her eyes. Maybe spending time with Zidane wouldn't be so bad, it would certainly be better than sitting here alone.

"I would like that," Garnet said, smiling at the surprise on Zidane's face.

"Well, let's get a move on. Couldn't really give you a proper tour of the place, what with running from those black mages," Zidane said with a grin. Garnet rolled her eyes again. It had been awhile since she had been here to look around. The last time would have been when she was younger, but with the construction, how much of a tour could she possibly get?

Walking down the stairs, Zidane offered his arm, an arrogant grin on his face. Garnet was reminded of Kuja in the slightest. She hesitated, but accepted the gesture and followed him to the air cab. The first place he took her was the Tantalus hide out. Everyone was there. There was loud talking, but they all seemed to stop when Zidane entered with Garnet.

"Hey! Hey! Look what monkey boy dragged in," Cinna said.

"Shut it would you," Zidane said exasperated. Garnet looked around the room to Baku the leader, the only one she recognized. Her eyes fell upon a short black mage in a blue coat. Jerking, she grabbed Zidane's arm. He followed her gaze. "Don't worry that's Vivi, he's a good guy," Zidane explained. Garnet didn't seem to believe him, and looked ready to flee when Vivi waddled over and bowed.

"I… It's a pleasure to me… meet you princess," Vivi stuttered. Hearing him speak and watching how he reacted; it was clear he was different from the other black mages. Garnet released Zidane's arm, and smiled, gently returning the bow.

"The pleasure is mine," The princess replied. "Where are you from?"

"I… I used to live with my Grandpa along the mountains. I… I went to Alexandria and met up with Zidane while I was sightseeing," Vivi explained.

"Hey, stop hogging her would you?" It was Marcus who spoke next and introduced himself. Garnet was then bombarded with the other members of Tantalus as they all came forth at once to introduce themselves.

"Hey ya'll. Back off, yer scaring the poor thing," Ruby chimed in. Garnet sighed in relief as the only other woman in the room made her way forward. "Come along darlin' have a seat with me."

It was with the members of Tantalus that Garnet spent the rest of her day. They were an interesting group to say the least, but they did keep the best company. Zidane being the thief-ly gentleman he was, got her back to the castle within a reasonable amount of time.

Garnet spent the next few days in the company of Zidane and his gang. Their slang was rubbing off on her, and she found it easier to fit in with the town's people. It was a refreshing new perspective. Perhaps Zidane was not as unbearable as she had first thought, and she actually found it easier to get along with him. Though she enjoyed her time spent with the many faces of Tantalus, after two weeks she was becoming restless.  Shouldn’t Kuja have come to see her by now?  Was he alright?

Garnet was plagued by nightmares that night.  The mysterious red eye followed her wherever she went.  She relived the destruction of the village, the boat voyage; the images were a garbled mess.  She was sleep walking through the hall ways and awoke on the roof of the maintenance attic.  Confusion was etched on her face as she looked around.  She felt dizzy as her eyes turned towards the sky, she was certain she was still dreaming as the same red eye from her nightmares appeared above her and she lost consciousness.


	3. The Soulless Village

There were two voices; that of an old man and a child.

"Is this her? Is this the other summoner?" The young girl sounded excited.

"Yes child, but we must hurry. We've already attracted too much attention. Be a dear and summon an Eidolon to take care of them," the old man said. Garnet could hear various familiar voices yelling and storming up to where she was, and then the sound of a flute. The earth began to quake. Someone had picked her up. She opened her eyes halfway to see that the old man held her. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girl, a horn upon her head, playing her flute as a large wolf like Eidolon caused the earth to crack and shake. The castle groaned and tilted, cracking in places from the force. Closing her eyes again she let the darkness claim her, the last thing she felt was a feeling of flying upwards.

When Garnet came to, she felt weighed down, as though someone or something was sitting on her.

"Ugh…" The princess opened her eyes weakly, blinking several times. "Why is everything so… blue…?"

"Hey! You're waking up!" Garnet groaned again and slowly sat up to see a young girl standing in front of her. "It's about time!" The girl had short purple colored hair and her eyes were drawn to horn on the girl's forehead. "Sorry, I should probably introduce myself… The name’s Eiko Carol."

"Hello, my name is Garnet. Can you tell me where I am?" The princess asked.

"You are in Bran Bal on the planet of Terra," Eiko explained.

"Wait," Garnet's eyes grew wide. "I'm on another planet?"

"Yea," Eiko said as though it were nothing.

"Are you a summoner? I saw you… before we left… you summoned an Eidolon," Garnet said trying to recall everything that happened.

"Yeap, I'm from the village of Madain Sari. You're a summoner too right? I bet you're from there as well," Eiko said.

"Why am I here?"

"Garland needs your help for something. He said something about me not being old enough to really be able to help," the young girl said.

"Did he tell you anything about it?" Garnet asked.

"No, not really, just something about stones…"

"What happened? Where you at a place called Linblum? Did you see a man there named Kuja?" Garnet couldn't stop herself from asking.

"You mean the white haired man? He came to see Garland here before. He looked awfully cranky when we came to get you. He was with a bunch of other people, and they had the stones that Garland wanted…" Eiko looked thoughtful.

"What happened to them, do you know?" Garnet asked.

"Garland made me summon an Eidolon to attack them; I don't know what happened to them…" The young girl watched the elder curiously. "I'm sorry; I don't like to hurt people. Garland knows where my family lives. Ever since my grandfather died I've had nothing but moogles to help me. Anyway, if I don't do what he says he said he'd hurt them…"

"That's terrible. It's alright you couldn't help it." Garnet sighed.

"Oh! I'm supposed to take you to meet him! Please come with me!" Eiko stood up quickly and went to the door. Garnet blinked and shook her head in a final attempt to dispel the fogginess that still surrounded her mind. Standing up she followed Eiko outside and stopped dead.

"Oh… my… All these people, they look just like Zidane!" Garnet exclaimed. There was also something painfully familiar about this place.  It put her on edge.  It was like she had dreamed this before and now it was coming to be.  Eiko followed the princess' gaze around, there were many groups with tails and blonde hair. "Who are these people?"

"Garland calls them Genomes, there aren't enough people alive on your planet to harbor all the souls that are asleep here, so he had to create more vessels for them," Eiko explained, adopting the monotone of the  humanoid.

" _What_?! Did Garland just tell you all of this?" Garnet asked.

"Yea, I'm a pretty curious girl," Eiko replied.

_I wonder if Zidane knows about all this, but how could he? Kuja has a tail too, but he's always hiding it… why? Maybe this Garland can finally give me some answers..._ the princess thought.

"Alright, take me to him," Garnet said. Eiko smiled and nodded.

"Follow me," the younger girl said leading Garnet through the city. The genomes couldn't seem less interested in the princess even if they tried. It was a relief to not be stared at. After a few minutes they reached a green barrier. "This is all the farther I can go. I can't go through this door."

"What do I do once I go through?" Garnet asked. She eyed the glowing, green light warily.

"Well I'm assuming he'll be waiting for you on the other side," Eiko said. "Get going."

Garnet nodded and walked through the barrier. Eiko had been correct in her assumption. Garland was waiting for her on the other side.

"Welcome my dear," Garland was the first to speak. Garnet merely nodded her response. "Not the talkative type I see, please follow me."

The old man walked up to a strange looking tree with an even stranger looking arch way. Garnet jumped slightly as he stepped through the arch way and disappeared in a crackle of energy. Following his example she too stepped through the arch way and in a flash of blue light was transported to an odd looking open area.

"I imagine you have some questions," Garland began. "Go ahead." Garnet quirked a brow, but since the opportunity was presented she might as well take advantage of it.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I need a summoner of age to ensure that the seal breaking will work," Garland answered simply. The old man disappeared and reappeared further away forcing the princess to follow after him.

"Why did you come to see Kuja that night in Treno?"

“To put a stop to his mischief… He is interfering with my plans.”

“Is what Eiko said true? You’re going to replace all the souls on Gaia with those of Terra?”

“Yes.”

“And you really believe I’ll help you with this?”

“Of course you will, you may not remember who you were Celeste, but I do. Your purpose was to help me ensure the successful transfer of the Terran souls to Gaia.”

Garnet stared, shock clear on her face.

“ _What did you say_?”

“Come now, you can remember if you try hard enough. It was what Kuja was trying to do when he acquired you from the queen.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You are a soul of Terra, Celeste. You were obstinate, as you are now. You had a… shall we say… sudden change in moral code?”

“No… no I’m not,” Garnet bit out. “That’s not possible.”

The princess was met with a bitter, mechanical laugh from her host.

“Of course it is. Why do you think Kuja kept avoiding telling you how you two met? It was here, of course, after I had created him… He was immature and in need of guidance. I realized my mistake by not allowing him to experience a child hood. He is… a failure… however, you two were quite close.”

Garnet could feel a headache starting in her temples as she struggled to make sense of what was being told to her.

“What happened to me?” Garnet was almost afraid of the answer. She didn’t know how much of this was true, but it would explain a lot.

“You gave an impassioned speech about how you could not do it; you could not continue to damn the souls of Gaia. You took your own life.”

“….I… what?”

“Kuja… unable to handle the loss of you tried to retain your soul through the Invincible. He was unable to. Part of your soul fused with his during the process and the other half was cycled in to the souls of Gaia. You were born again as a summoner’s child.”

Garnet was rendered speechless.

“It was quite a mess, but there was no undoing it. He floundered without you, and I realized then how much of a mistake he really was.”

“You kidnapped me…”

"It was easy to take you while he was distracted. He thought that you would be safe, that my main concern would be trying to retain the stones. I had the opportunity so I took it," Garland explained.

“I’m not going to help you.” Garnet followed after him again and again getting slightly irritated at this little game he was playing with her.

"Then you will never know how to save him." Garland disappeared and reappeared so far ahead that Garnet almost had to run to catch up to him.

"What do you mean?" The princess watched him curiously. 

“You may have noticed a change in him… when I came to see him that night I explained the truth to him about his existence,” Garland said.

“What does that mean?”

"Kuja’s fate is not sealed. I created him to live out a certain number of years because I did not trust him to follow through with my orders. Clearly I was right to do so, but I had a few backup plans just in case he would have turned out the way I wanted him to," Garland said. "The other, Zidane, is Kuja's brother, an upgraded model for lack of a better term. I had my doubts about Kuja so; I created another to do my bidding. If Kuja had turned out they could have existed together."

"You want me to choose…?" Garnet stopped following and just stood there.

"Is it really such a hard choice… you can either save the world, or you can abandon Kuja once again," The old man stared at her.

"How do I know that you're not lying to me?"

"Ah, so you are considering the fate of the world are you?" Garland asked.

"Stop it!" Garnet exclaimed.

"I apologize my dear, but you make it far too easy with your emotions."

"What if I defeat you?" Garnet asked. At this Garland shook his head.

"Dear child, what makes you think you are capable of that?" The old man carried a condescending tone as he talked to her.

"Why should I believe that I can't?" Garnet stood defiantly with her hands on her hips.

"You are not even fully aware of your own powers or identity, let alone mine; it's foolish to jump into a fight you know nothing about," Garland said becoming serious.  "Take heed girl, I do not want to have to hurt you. You were efficient before you lost your mind…"

Garnet didn’t have a chance to utter a single spell let alone another word against him.  Her hands flew to her mouth as she attempted to speak but no sound would come.

"You shouldn't tempt fate child," Garland said.

"Leave her alone!" Garnet turned around to see Eiko running towards her. Looking over her shoulder expecting to see Garland still behind her, she jerked backwards as Kuja was suddenly standing in between her and the strange old man.

"Kuja? So you've decided to show your face here again?" Garland asked. “I told you that you were banished…”

“You took something of mine…," Kuja said in a bored voice, looking irritated.  

"I suppose my little ward has betrayed me and brought you here?" Garland asked.

"She didn't have to, I knew this is where you would take her," Kuja replied.

While the two mages talked, Eiko rushed over and had Garnet sit before kneeling beside her.

"Are you alright?" Upon watching the princess' mouth move but emit no sound; the younger girl pulled an echo screen from her pocket. "Here." Garnet drank the potion and opened her mouth to speak but oddly, still no sound came. The princess' eyes widened as she looked at Eiko, her hand going to hold her own throat. "What's wrong? You still can't speak!" Eiko looked worriedly at her fellow summoner, watching as the princess nodded. Eiko stood up with a hand on her hip while the other was pointing an accusing finger at Garland. "You old jerk! What did you do to her!"

"Always so bold," Garland sighed. Kuja looked over his shoulder to see a very distressed princess sitting at his feet. 

"Get her out of here," Kuja said to the younger girl. Eiko nodded and tried to pull the princess up to stand.

“Ah, ah, not so fast, I’m not done with you Celeste,” Garland said and Kuja visibly recoiled. “That’s right… she knows everything.”

“It makes no difference,” Kuja responded.  “I won’t let you use her the way you used me.”

“You don’t have the power to defeat me Kuja,” Garland said. “You will lose her again and again.”

“Then I will find her again and again,” Kuja hissed.

“Time is a luxury you do not have,” Garland answered.

“That’s a lie, you are obsolete if you think that I’d just let her go,” Kuja’s brow furrowed as he was assaulted with conflicting emotions. 

“You are a mistake… a failure” Garland said, sending a flare spell at them. Kuja was quicker and had already cast reflect; the powerful spell ricocheting back towards the old man.

“ _Shut up_ , it doesn’t matter what you think of me,” Kuja responded, power crackling through the air as he was engulfed in blinding light. “Don’t you understand? _I love her_. No matter what form she takes, no matter how many life times I have to search for her I won’t let you take her from me again…” His hair slowly turned from white to blood red. Feathers of a matching color soon decorated his body.

“It’s pointless.” Garland said.  “I told you this already… you choose to live in denial.  Give me the gems you have collected so far, there is no reason for Terra to die with you…”

"Come on Garnet, we have to move!" The young girl was finally successful in pulling the elder girl to her feet, but Garnet would not budge, her eyes wide and glued to the now red haired man hovering in front of them.

“I didn’t believe you before and I don’t believe you now,” Kuja responded. “It… it can’t be true…” While he was still trying to deny it, part of him had started to come to terms with the fact that his time was limited.

“You were created to live out a certain length of time…” 

"Let's go! Garnet, we need to get out of here." Eiko tugged at Garnet's hand bringing her attention forward.

The princess was overwhelmed, memories coming to the forefront of her mind. She was starting to remember. How could she leave Kuja now? They shared part of the same soul. He looked as if he would shatter. She pulled her hand free from the younger summoner, in favor of taking a few steps towards his hovering form. She could not speak still, yet her eyes conveyed everything. As he glanced over his should to look at her, an insane grin came across his face.

“Unbelievable… Now you remember? Of all times? Don’t… look at me like that…” Kuja pleaded, a mad chuckle coming from his lips that escalated until he was doubled over with crazed laughter.  He was losing his mind.

Garnet stared at him wide eyed.  She opened her mouth to speak, frustration crossing her visage when she was reminded again that she could not.  She recalled the first time they had met.  He had seemed so innocent then, not yet the war harbinger he was created to be.  It hurt to remember, like there were two conflicting consciousness in her mind.  She tried to get them to merge together as one, but they refused.

“Go,” Kuja told her. “I’ll find you again.”

A force of power pushed her away and back towards the door that would lead to their freedom, still she hesitated, tears stinging her eyes.

“Take her,” he instructed Eiko, and with a mighty tug, the younger girl was finally able to get the princess to head in the right direction with her.

Seeing that Garnet was indeed almost out of harm’s way, Kuja turned to Garland once again.

“If I’m going to die… I won’t go alone… I’m taking this place with me…”

“Then you will perish here and now… I won’t allow you to destroy my work,” Garland answered, the two becoming locked in battle.

Both girls went flying through the arch together as they ran. Garnet wanted to protest, to wait for Kuja, but she was unable to make any sound. Instead of making things difficult for the younger girl, Garnet followed her. They stopped once they were back in Bran Bal. Garnet tugged Eiko's hand and motioned around to the completely empty streets.

"This is weird, the Genomes are usually always out," Eiko said worriedly. Garnet had never missed her ability to speak more than she did right now.

"We could take the air ship and get out of here!" Garnet shook her head frantically; she would not leave without Kuja. "We can't pass up this chance, your friend got here on his own. I'm sure he can get out, he told me to get you out of here." Garnet would not budge as Eiko tugged on her hand. "He's risking his life to get us out of here! We have to go now!" 

Garnet averted her gaze to the ground before nodding slowly. Eiko wasted no more time in dragging Garnet out of Bran Bal and in the direction of the airship. Within minutes the vessel came into view, and Garnet felt herself grow light headed again. She couldn't give in now; they had to get out of here while the opportunity presented itself.

Eiko continued to pull the princess along behind her. They reached a lighted bridge that went straight to the entrance of the air ship. Garnet spared one last look over her shoulder and skidded to a halt. The entirety of the planet was in flames, and there, hovering down towards them was Kuja. He was completely unhinged.  Garland had managed to wound him, somewhat badly it appeared.

"What's the hold up?" Eiko asked exasperated. She followed the princess' gaze and couldn’t help but stare herself. "What… what has he done?" 

Garnet let go of Eiko's hand and rushed back towards Kuja. He watched her through half lidded, glazed eyes, and reeled forward into her. She caught him and stumbled trying to hold him up, but she was only strong enough to lower him to the ground as gently as possible.

"Stupid… girl," Kuja breathed out, a tired smirk pulling up the corner of his lip. Garnet's eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. "Call her over, we don't need to steal that fool's airship…" he spoke weakly.

Garnet looked over her shoulder and beckoned Eiko to come closer. 

“Oh man, it’s not working, I can’t heal him,” Eiko said as she reached them and attempted to cast cura again.

“I’ll heal in time… these wounds can’t be cured by magic… the old man made sure of that,” Kuja explained.  “Hold on to me,” he closed his eyes and sighed as he relaxed in Garnet's arms. Within moments they felt a floating sensation and all of Terra and Bran Bal tore away from them. Within seconds they were transported to the Regent's castle.

"Garnet!" The Regent jumped up from his throne to run down to the three who had just appeared out of thin air. Garnet opened her mouth to speak, but still no sound came. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she motioned to the passed out man in her arms.  He was still bleeding.  Whatever he had been hit with left deep lacerations across his chest and torso, though it seemed he had been correct.  The wounds were slowly healing on their own, fleshing knitting itself back together.

"He needs help!  His wounds can’t be healed by magic!”  Eiko explained loudly. 

The regent motioned for two guards to come forward and they cautiously approached the crying princess who had a death grip on the man in her arms.

“It’s alright princess we’ll get him fixed up,” the one tried to reassure her, and she slowly allowed them to lift Kuja away from her.  Red feathers fell from his body and his hair was slowly turning from red to white, the natural color of the strands starting from the roots and bleeding out through the rest of the length until there was no trace of red remaning.

"Dear child, talk to me, tell me what happened," Cid said, kneeling in front of the princess.

"She can't talk," Eiko said. Garnet remained kneeled on the floor one hand covering her face while with the other she still held Eiko to her side. Aside from being distressed, mute, and covered in someone else's blood, she seemed unharmed. The Regent sighed and remained kneeling in front of the distraught girl, waiting for her to move…

* * *

Once Garnet had calmed down; Eiko introduced herself and spoke since the princess could not. The young girl recalled everything that had happened, with the occasional nod of approval from the older girl. Obviously the time Garnet spent alone with Garland would have to go untold for now.

"I see," Cid said with a sigh. "So, you don't know what spell he put upon you?" Garnet shook her head. It had grown late into the night and Hilda had come to take care of Eiko and show her a place to sleep.

“So, that was the man you were married off to?”  Cid asked.

Garnet gave a helpless shrug and nodded the affirmative.  There was so much information buzzing in her head, memories that had been locked away came rushing forth at the most inopportune moments.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"He's come around a bit, he's asking for the princess," the guard said.

“Go, and remember to get some rest,” Cid said, dismissing both of them.  He still had many questions for his niece, but they would have to wait.

"Follow me princess." The guard took her down on the lift to the second floor and led her through a mélange of hallways. After what seemed like forever, he stopped in front of a door.

"Right through there, he's alone right now I believe. I'll be standing guard out here should you need anything." Garnet nodded and entered the room.

The lighting was dim, and she could see Kuja laid out on the only bed.  While they had tried to clean up most of the blood, it still looked like a homicide had taken place.

“Are you going to come to me or stand there staring all night?”

Kuja’s tired voice startled her out of her thoughts.  A blush crept up on her cheeks, and she moved closer to the bedside, offering him a smile.  She felt torn between the person she was in this life and the memories assailing her from her past life.

“You don’t have to do that…  no sense in playing shy… you know me,” Kuja said.

Garnet sighed, allowing him to grasp her hand and pull her to sit beside his supine form.  She gently squeezed his hand, looking at him worriedly.

“I’ll be alright… most of the damage has been healed… it’s a benefit of my trance…”

They sat in silence for a while, so much so that she thought he had fallen asleep.  There was so much she wanted to say and ask.  She still felt like herself, but the recollections she had from the past felt like distant dreams.  So much had changed since then, but with remembering also there were the emotions attached to those memories.  How disappointed Kuja must have felt… abandoned… betrayed… tears gathered in her eyes.  He may have never had to develop compound emotions, but taking in part of Celeste’s soul would have allowed him to experience those things.  She had inadvertently caused him an exorbitant amount of pain, and he was left alone to deal with those things.  She couldn’t let this happen.  Garland had to be stopped. 

Tentatively, she reached a hand forward to brush the hair back from his face.  Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his breathing did not come as easily as it should have.

“I’ve missed you,” he admitted quietly, his eyes remained closed as he rested.  Garnet hesitated, her lip quivering.

_I’m sorry…_   The princess mouthed when he finally looked to her, a tired smirk coming to his face.

“I know,” he murmured.

Fatigue began to wear on her, but Garnet stayed until she was sure he was sleeping.  When she went to slowly pull her hand away, his grip tightened just enough to hold her in place.

“Stay,” Kuja exhaled.  “You didn’t used to be afraid to be so close to me…”

Garnet remembered this to be true.  It was like going years without seeing your best friend, and then when you were together again nothing had changed.  She didn’t know if that was because they shared a soul or if it was because she finally recalled those times.  His easy way of being with her before had put her on edge, partially because she didn’t understand it… but now…

The princess nodded her acquiesce, letting go of his hand only so that she could move to lie down next to him.  It was late.  This was completely improper… and yet… half the world thought they were married, so did it really matter?

Garnet shifted so that she was beside him.  She could have stopped there, and left a respectable distance between them. 

…but she didn’t…

That night she dreamed more vividly than she ever had before.  Images of her life from before danced behind closed lids.  The lonely days helping Garland complete their shared mission went by agonizingly slow.  He was a humanoid and incapable of giving her any real companionship.  It was perhaps another reason he had created Kuja as he was and not as a child.  Garland had another motive and purposely made it so Kuja would have a delay in emotional development.  Without experiencing a child hood, he would not come to know the complex processes of feeling remorse that would stem from the lives lost while inciting war.  Still, that had not stopped the future harbinger of death from creating a strong bond and attachment to Celeste.  It was perhaps Garland’s undoing. 

Then the dream moved as if in fast forward through the six years she had lived with Kuja and Garland.  It all came to an abrupt end.  Not as Garland described with her taking her own life, but with the automaton murdering her because she became too much of a distraction for his creation.  The humanoid had feared that with continued exposure, Kuja may slowly develop the emotions Garland had tried so hard to keep from him.  In the end it had not mattered.  Kuja was a failure either way. 

When morning came, the princess would be curled neatly next to Kuja’s side.  Her head rested on his chest and her dark brunette locks of hair were skewed everywhere concealing her face.  When she slowly opened her eyes it took her a moment to realize where she was.  Kuja’s arm was wrapped around her, and she was surprised by how comfortable she felt.  The gentle rise and fall of his chest was in stark contrast to his labored breathing the night before.  It was almost like the attack from Garland had never happened save for a few of the deeper cuts that were still healing.  She stared out the window as the sun crept up over the horizon.  The room was bathed in a pale orange glow as she listened to the sound of his heart beating.  It was almost enough to lull her back to sleep.  It was like they had done this a thousand times before.  He hadn’t made any other move towards her other than to just drape his arm around her.  She had always gotten the feeling he was more comforted by her presence rather than that he really wanted anything from her.

“Are you alright?  You were crying.”  Kuja’s voice cut through her tired haze.  Lifting a hand to her cheek, she found that he was right, salty tear tracks stained her soft skin.  Forgetting that she couldn’t speak she opened her mouth to answer him only to close it again.  “I did not have the strength last night, but if you’ll allow me… I can remove the status effect from you.”

Garnet nodded her head against his shoulder, unfazed when he gracefully tucked her wayward strands of hair behind her ear.

A slender finger tilted her chin up so that she was facing him, only now she was not so afraid to meet his gaze.  She didn’t try to stop him as he tilted his head down, his lips ghosting over her own.  The girl’s eyes went wide as she felt energy flowing through her, but as quickly as it had come it was gone.  He had not said a word, but yet…

“ _How did you do that_?”  Garnet asked, surprised by the sound of her own voice.

“It’s easy, when you have power,” Kuja answered.  His head rested back against the pillows and he closed his eyes once more.  Garnet stayed beside him.  He made no attempts to let her go, and so she made no attempts to leave him.  Her head was tucked under his chin.

“Did Garland... was he the one to kill me?”

“Yes,” Kuja answered, his brow furrowed in pain from the memory of it.

“He lied to me,” Garnet said.

“It is not surprising… he will be back… I could not destroy him…  He had injured me too badly.  I fear that Alexandria will be his target as the last sealing stone remains there,” Kuja replied.

“Sealing stone?”

“Yes… they are what keep the souls of from assimilating.”

“He needs a summoner to break the seal?”

“Yes, once he has all the stones, he will either use you or the girl to break the seal so that what’s left of the sleeping souls of Terra can take over the people of Gaia…”

“We have to stop him…”  Garnet said after a few minutes of silence.

“I’ve spent almost my whole life trying to stop him… after he… you…” Kuja sighed.  Feelings that had long been dormant in the part of Celeste’s soul that resided within him were beginning to unearth. 

“Is it true?”

“Is what true, my canary?”  Kuja asked her to clarify.

Garnet hesitated, but many minutes of silence followed.

“Am I dying?”  Kuja said for her, and he could feel the tremble in her shoulders.  He gazed at the canopy over the bed with half lidded eyes, taking the moment just to feel her against him.  She was tense, probably trying not to cry.  He didn’t know when his heart would cease beating and there would be no more breath in his lungs… the moment he would just stop… and his soul and that of the one he shared with the girl in his arms would cycle back through to the mist…  It was an agonizing feeling deep in the pit of his being.  He would be forced to leave her… to leave this place and to have accomplished what?  After all that he had done to these people.  After finally getting her back.

“Yes…”  He answered her unasked question.

“There has to be a way I can save you,” Garnet whispered, and tears were rolling down her cheeks again, soaking his shoulder.  He hated to see her cry, and there was a fluttering in his gut.  He was scared of death, of not being with her, of leaving nothing behind…

Kuja did not respond, only turned to his side to better hold her and wrap his other arm around her shaking form.  He was grateful when he felt her arms tangle around him, holding him tightly.  She was the only person who had ever made him feel like he wasn’t alone.

They remained that way for some time.  His fingers found their way into her hair as he rhythmically brushed the unruly strands down, the repetitive motion calming not only her, but his own frazzled nerves.  He kept her close long after she had been pacified.

Garnet pulled back enough to look at him.  The frown and expression of trepidation on his face was so unlike him.  His eyes remained closed, and he would not look at her as she tentatively traced the curve of his jaw with her fingertips.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” the princess said softly.  The irony of their role reversal was not lost on the sorcerer.  She had been the older, wiser one, always trying to guide his hand in the right direction, and now…  She needed him.  What would he do?  He mentally cursed their fate.  He had to help her…

“We will destroy Garland once and for all… without my continued influence… and without him to interfere… you may be able to get your mother to see reason,” Kuja explained.

“You’re going to help me?”  Garnet asked in disbelief.  “…but what about-”

“Yes, foolish girl… I’m going to help you,” Kuja chuckled dryly, his voice vibrating deep in his chest.  “What about my plans?  It hardly matters now…”

They were quiet for a while and he continued.

“I meant what I said.  I love you, even if you do not remember that you love me…”  Kuja said.

Garnet was crying again.  This was all a bit too much to handle in the past several days.  Her fingers fisted in the fine material of his damaged clothing as she hugged herself close to him once more.  It was different.  Before she had been taken out by Garland, she knew that he had only loved her as a friend could, an innocent connection, which until he had taken in that piece of her soul, was not capable of going any deeper.  The way he spoke to her now sent chills down her spine, and she could almost reach out and touch the truth in his words.  She did not yet know if she could return his love that way, she only hoped that they would have time enough to find out.

“I don’t want to lose you again,” she wept.

Kuja took a shuddering breath.  There was nothing he could say to really put her at ease.  It was no longer his choice.  His heart gave a painful lurch as he was being forced to come to terms with his imminent demise.

“It will be alright,” was all he could think to tell her.  He determined in that moment, that whether he was alive to see it through or not, he would do everything in his power to make sure that she would be okay.  "...I won't let anything happen to you."

"It's not me I'm worried about," Garnet admitted.  

The fact that she cared about him at all warmed his soul, and he could not stop himself as he placed a kiss to her forehead. 

They would need to figure out a plan.

The first step would be uniting the remaining kingdoms to stand against Brahne and Garland.

* * *

"What?!" The Regent slammed his fists down as Garnet tried to explain the situation. Kuja stood behind her with his arms crossed as he sighed.

"That can't be good for the table," the white haired man muttered as Regent Cid still had his fists clenched on the aforementioned table.  Both he and Garnet had been provided with new clothing, and they had spent the majority of the morning trying to figure out the best way to approach the Regent.  Honesty was the best way, despite how far-fetched the truth seemed, and here they stood... looking like fools.

"I know it's irrational, I know, but you have to believe me!" Garnet looked at her uncle pleadingly.

"What I want to know is why, after finding out that he had a hand in putting this plan into action, that you still choose to stay with him," Cid asked frustrated. Garnet had seen her Uncle like this only once before, and that was after her father died. At least he took his frustrations out on the furniture.

"It's impossible to explain," Garnet said. "I don't know what to tell you, but to ask if you trust me at all."

"Of course I trust you, it's your lovely friend here that I have some reservations about," the Regent sighed.

"You don't have a choice Uncle," the princess began. "We can't let Alexandria be attacked, we have to do something!"

"Do you honestly trust him?" Cid asked. Kuja didn't miss the fact that the Regent was talking about him as though he wasn't here in the room. Narrowing his eyes, he waited for his queen's response.

"With my life," Garnet said seriously. Cid stared at his niece for a long while. He sighed and looked away at last.

"Then that will be enough for me," the Regent gave in. "I don't have many soldiers to spare with the city being rebuilt, as I'm sure this is the way this Garland person would have wanted it to be. We shall contact Burmecia and Clerya. I shall try to convince them that we've not all gone completely mad and ask for assistance."

"Thank you Uncle," Garnet said with a small bow.

"You may go, I'll send for you once I receive word back from the remaining kingdoms," the Regent said.


	4. Holy Guardian

"What's your problem man? Why are you so bent about this?" Blank asked.

Zidane waved him off, walking over to one of the beds in the Tantalus hideout and lying down. Blank crossed his arms over his chest and sighed.

"Zidane, you really like Princess Garnet don't you?" Vivi asked waddling over to him. "It's okay, she's really nice. I like her too."

"You have no idea Vivi," Zidane sighed. "Do me a favor and get me some paper. I'm going to write to Freya so she knows what's going on."

It wasn’t so much that Garnet was practically inseparable from Kuja now, but that she was also so damn distracted.  Kuja and Garnet had not told anyone else of his limited amount of time.

In the past few days of initial meetings with the Regent, Zidane had tried to see her, but she was either with that white haired bastard, or doing research in the library.  She spoke to him sparingly about the revelation that he was also from Terra, and even less so about the fact that he and Kuja were technically brothers.  It was like trying to get to know her all over again.    He supposed that learning about your past could do that, but he wasn’t the type to push everyone away like she seemed to be doing.  The thief was having a hard time coming to terms with this new information, he wasn’t sure he even believed it… He needed to talk to her again. 

* * *

A few weeks had passed in the meantime before word would arrive from the other Kingdoms.

"Knight Freya, I was not expecting you so soon," Cid said, surprised when the dragon knight was announced and had entered his throne room.

"Zidane wrote to me earlier and explained what had happened most recently.  I thought it best I came to you first," Freya explained. "I come bearing the agreement to join together from both Burmecia and Clerya. All three of us separated are too weak, but together we may be able to come through. Before we can do anything I need to know what is going on and report back."

With the arrival of Freya, the Regent reported everything of necessity that Garnet and Eiko had shared from their return from Terra.

“I know it seems…”

“…crazy…” Freya finished for him, and the older man could only nod his agreement.

“The fact that there is a very real threat out there and that it stems from Queen Brahne’s madness…”  Cid continued.

“No, I agree… we must pull together to find a solution… despite these unusual times…”  Freya said, taking her leave to report back to her king.

* * *

 

The following days would be chaotic as preparations were made to house the other leaders. 

When they would arrive, the hours would be filled with strategy meetings, and the one with the most information on how to deter Brahne and destroy Garland was Kuja.  The rest of the party involved only knew him as Garnet’s eccentric husband who had an extensive intel on their enemy.

Garnet and Kuja had continued to share the same room, partially for appearances, partially because she couldn’t stand to be away from him.  His impending fate weighed heavily on her mind.  She had to find a way to save him. 

The meetings would often run late in to the night, and this evening was no different.  Garnet was lonely on the nights that she did not participate in the planning.

Tossing and turning, the girl finally decided that getting some fresh air would maybe help clear her mind.  She left her room and walked quietly, her bare feet making no sound on the cold marble floors. The lift was left un-manned late at night as the castle was in a near constant state of lockdown. 

The princess easily found her way to the roof, the very same one she had been abducted on that night when Garland came for her.  She tried to recall the details, but they were hazy.  It didn’t matter now, she was home… Closing her eyes, she started to hum quietly a song that always seemed to soothe her to sleep no matter how restless she was.

"You have a beautiful voice." Garnet jerked and looked to see that Zidane had discovered her.  She knew he had been trying to talk to her, but she was avoiding him.  The girl didn’t know what she could possibly say to make things better for him.  Tendrils of guilt needled through her mind, she had not been a very good friend recently.

"Thank you," she said as he walked fluidly over to the railing opposite the one she was sitting on.

"What's the matter princess, don't you trust me anymore?" Zidane eyed her up, a smirk on his face.  He reminded her very much of Kuja in this moment.

"No, it's not that at all," Garnet replied. Her dark brown eyes followed his every move as he stood up and walked over to her. He stopped and rested his hands on either side of her on the railing, trapping her between him and the banister.  She was not immediately alarmed by his proximity, they were friends after all.  “I’m sorry that I’ve been so distracted lately…  I’m sure this hasn’t been easy for you.”

"We all have a lot going on," the thief said, brushing some hair back from her face, and his objective changed.  He was no longer focused on drilling her with questions about Garland.  “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Garnet responded.

“Do you think if things had turned out another way that it would be different between us?”  Zidane asked.  What would have happened if he had gotten to her first?  Would it be he that she loved?

"I-" Garnet couldn't reply as he moved; his lips dangerously close to hers.

"Brother, _please_ …  _Normally,_ I would not mind sharing, but this is a bit tasteless… even for you.”   Garnet visibly relaxed as she heard Kuja's voice. She feared a bit for Zidane, as she knew that underlying tone all too well as the one he had used with the scumbag in Treno. The thief backed away allowing the princess to make her way to Kuja's side. Once she had reached him, she was not surprised that he kept his feral gaze on the thief before him.

"Last I checked, she didn't belong to you," Zidane said coolly, getting into a fighting stance.

"Don't do this," Garnet pleaded.

"Ah, you might find our little canary has some sound advice for you," Kuja jeered, as though fighting Zidane would be nothing more than a satisfying waste of time.

" _Please_ ," Garnet implored. Zidane's blue eyes found her dark brown ones. She looked scared for his life. He had not intended to put her in this position; he might as well let it drop for her sake.

"Fine," the thief said proudly. "You have other options you know," he bit out, turning and walking away.

Garnet felt Kuja tense as Zidane passed, obviously resisting the urge to murder him right there.

The princess stood with Kuja, waiting until she believed there would be enough distance between the two before speaking.

“Did you have to tease him like that?”  Garnet sighed, resisting him as he tried to charm her with a smile.

“But of course my love, how else is he going to learn?”

“Can’t you be serious?”  Garnet asked, crossing her arms.

Kuja chuckled at her, lithely hooking her chin with a finger and tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

“I am completely serious, though,” Kuja responded.  “I have no intentions of sharing you... he was crossing a line and you and I both know it.”

“Maybe,” Garnet relented, allowing him to draw her close.  She felt herself relax as his arms came around her, like he knew exactly what she needed.  The girl realized half the time she wasn’t able to sleep was because he was not lying next to her.  So, she pulled away from him and opted to take his hand, leading him to the room they shared. 

“I just want to go to bed,” she murmured, easing herself in to his arms when he finally joined her under the covers.  Sleep came easily to her then.

* * *

It was a few days later that everyone was convened in the conference room.  This meeting was to discuss the course of action to try and bring some sense to Queen Brahne. She had recently started threatening Lindblum should they not hand over the unsealing stones.  Whether or not she knew what they were actually for was not known.  It was more likely she believed they would bring her more power.  The idea to send Garnet to talk to Brahne was brought up, and needless to say it was quite the uproar when Cid suggested it.

" _Absolutely not_ ," Kuja responded immediately, his tone did not match the furious look in his eyes.  Garnet lay a comforting hand on his arm watching as he fixed a deadly gaze at the Regent. "How can you possibly think of sending her into that death trap to talk with that _hideous woman_?"

“She’s still my mother,” Garnet reminded him patiently.

“She sold you for weapons," Kuja protested, only slightly remorseful at the pained look on Garnet’s face.

"It's not as though she would be wandering in completely unguarded…" The regent began.

"Since when do you have to decide everything for her?" Zidane asked hotly, he had been silent and brooding for almost the entirety of the meeting.

Kuja’s dangerous stare wandered to the thief and it was game on.  Everyone in the room could practically reach out and touch the tension between the two brothers.

“I fail to see how wanting to protect her from a very obvious tragedy goes against your better judgment,” Kuja responded.  “She’s not a thing to be used…”

“That’s not what I meant,” Zidane bit back.  “I think if she wants to help she should be able to do what she wants.”

“Yes, and there has to be a better way for her to get what she wants without being thrown to the wolves,” Kuja said.

“Then come with me,” Garnet cut them off before they could continue the argument.  “We don’t have to take the sealing stones… Just let me try to talk to her…”

Both of the brothers backed down, though neither one of them looked happy.

“Excellent idea Garnet,” Cid was quick to take advantage of the short reprieve.  “We’ll send a small group of reinforcements should things go awry…”

Everyone seemed relieved that things were moving in the right direction, and a plan of action was created.

* * *

“Princess, is that you!?!”

Garnet smiled, it was good to see the old castle guard again when she and Kuja had arrived at Alexandria.

“Yes, Steiner, I’ve come to see my mother,” Garnet replied.

“We weren’t expecting you,” the knight said thoughtfully, “but no matter, I’m sure she’ll be glad to see you.  Why have you not come sooner?”

“You must understand, it’s been very busy,” Garnet lied.

“Of course, we had just thought that the two of you would… well… come here after some time…  sooner...”  Steiner trailed off. 

Garnet looked every inch the princess she was, a formal dress borrowed and sized to her measurements from her aunt’s wardrobe donned her slight frame.  Kuja also had been dressed to perfection, though he was loath to have so few options.  Garnet couldn’t deny that he looked rather good as he was dressed in the dark black fabric, and when he caught her staring at him as they made their way through the castle halls, she had to quickly turn her head away.  It was too late though, she had been caught gawking and the sorcerer made a mental note to tease her about it later.

  
“Garnet, my dear… what a surprise,” the queen said when her daughter and her “husband” were introduced.  She waited until they were fully alone before continuing to speak.  “Still keeping with the pretenses are we, or did he actually man up and wed you?”

“ _Mother_ , please,” Garnet began, feeling Kuja grow tense beside her.  There was a smile plastered to his face, but he would have liked nothing better than to end that elephant where she sat.  “Will you not speak with me?”

“I already am, now darling, tell me what it is you want,” Brahne said, her tone dripping with disdain.

“I want you to stop this… to stop what you’re doing…”

“Did you put her up to this?”  The queen asked Kuja, completely ignoring Garnet’s plea as she fanned herself.

“Hn, no,” Kuja responded, idly tossing his hair over his shoulder, a gesture Garnet knew stemmed from agitation.  “She asked me here to accompany her.”

The queen burst out in to laughter, her form shaking with delight.

“My word, _you actually love her_ ,” Brahne gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

Garnet could not contain the hopeless look she shot to her companion.  A smirk was fixed to his face, but his eyes narrowed dangerously.

“You are avoiding addressing the issue at hand,” Kuja responded, continuing before the queen had a chance to talk.  “Your daughter comes asking for peace, and you laugh in her face.”

Brahne grew serious, snapping her fan shut, an ugly scowl marring her usually benign expression.

“Peace?  I think not…  Your traitorous uncle sent you, did he?  _Hmph_!  Don’t lie!  You are working against me, against your own kingdom.  _Garnet, how could you_?”  The queen ranted.

“You sold me…”  Garnet answered.  “I never turned against you!”

“ _LIES_!”  Brahne roared. 

There seemed to be more to her delusion than Kuja’s initial interference.  She was acting insane.  It was enough to make Kuja take a defensive step forward, and with a graceful flourish of his arm, put Garnet behind him. 

“You dare move against me?”  The queen was positively raving at this point.  Garnet couldn’t help but fist her trembling fingers in the loose fabric of Kuja’s jacket.  This was unreal; her mother had completely lost her grip on reality.  “GUARDS, TAKE THEM AWAY!”

“I think not,” Kuja responded, power flickering around him as he prepared to take down anyone foolish enough to come between himself and the princess.

The sound of footsteps approached, but it was not the castle guards that had come for them.  A party led by Zidane had burst through the doors.  Eiko, Freya, and Vivi were right behind him.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!”  The queen howled, her arms flailing in protest.

“Listen, we have a bigger problem…”  Zidane said, his eyes locking with Kuja’s.

“So, Garland has chosen to meddle in our affairs once more,” the sorcerer surmised.

“He’s using the Invincible to summon Bahamut to destroy the castle,” Eiko shrieked.  “The town is in flames!”

“How is he harnessing the Eildolons?!”  Garnet asked in alarm.

“When he had me destroy the summoner’s village, he retained the souls of the Eidolons the summoners tried to use to protect themselves,” Kuja explained.

Everyone fell silent, the queen still fuming behind them.  The guards led by Beatrix were waiting just inside the doors for further instruction.

“You mean that old man?  Yes… he helped me before in destroying Clerya," Brahne explained.

“What?”  Garnet’s voice rose in pitch.  “You’re in league with him?!”

“Was, my darling, as it seems he has turned against me,” Brahne looked thoughtful.

“We don’t have time for this, we must egress,” Kuja urged.

“Mother, come with us,” Garnet pleaded, moving past Kuja to grasp at her hands.  “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

The queen eyed her daughter warily, before shaking her head vehemently.

“NO!  I will not run!”  Brahne pushed past her daughter, effectively thrusting her in to Kuja’s arms.  He caught her easily and steadied her until she was solid on her feet again.  “READY THE CANONS!” 

Garnet watched helplessly as her mother walk down the hall out of sight into what she had so joyfully dubbed the war room. 

 “We have to try and get out now, it’s a fiasco out there,” Zidane said.  “The mist monsters are out of control…” 

“I can’t just leave,” Garnet protested.

“You can’t help these people if you’re dead,” Zidane said, but she still refused to budge.

“We’ll figure something out, but we can’t stay here,” Kuja said, sweeping her up into his arms to get her moving.

Zidane had been right; it was madness trying to make their way through the halls.  The blockades of the castle were badly damaged.  Bahamut was already wreaking havoc on the town.

Despite their best efforts, the group was separated when a powerful blast was fired at the castle, a tower crashing down and tearing through the walkway they were trying to use.  Garnet and Eiko were flung backwards while the rest of the party narrowly avoided being crushed.  Rubble piled up preventing the two summoners from joining their companions.  The stone created a thick barrier that they were unable to even speak through.

“ _What do we do now_?”  Eiko asked, panic evident on her face.

“It’s alright, we can still get out, but we have to go this way… and just hope we can find them later,” Garnet murmured, grasping the younger girl’s hand and leading her back the way they came.

“Where are we going?”  Eiko asked as the princess lead her through a long corridor.

“We can cut across one of the balconies, but we have to hurry.  If it’s destroyed we’ll be trapped,” Garnet explained, breaking out in to a run. 

The two girls made quick work of maneuvering the castle.  They made it out in to the open air of the terrace that connected the west wing to the east wing of the castle.  The doors closed and sealed behind them.  The only way to go was forward.

“That was strange,” Garnet whispered, and as they turned to continue on their way, Garland had appeared before them and was blocking their path.  The princess shoved the younger girl behind her, poised to go down fighting.  “What do _you_ want?”

“Why, I’ve come for you Celeste,” Garland responded as though it were obvious.  “You can either come with me, spare the girl, or you can watch your beloved kingdom burn to the ground…”

“ _You’re a liar_ …”  Garnet hissed. 

“So, you truly have retained your memories.  What a pity…”

“I’m not going to help you…”

“Not even for this?”  Garland questioned, drawing an amulet from his pocket.  It most resembled a compass or watch.  It was gold in color and had several small dials.  From the center it emitted a soft, glowing, red color that pulsed as if contained inside were an unsteady heartbeat.

Eiko clung to the folds of Garnet’s dress, glancing around the older girl to get a look at what the old man was holding.

“What is it?”  Garnet asked warily.

“I'm surprised you don't recognize it,” Garland replied.  “This talisman is the key to Kuja’s demise.  It has been slowly draining his life force until there will be nothing left of him.”  The old man paused, gauging her reaction.  “Come with me and I will destroy it, and Kuja can be allowed to live.”

“How can I possibly trust you?”  Garnet was exasperated.

“My dear, you don’t have much of a choice.  You either help me, or lose everything that you love,” Garland said.

“Why are you such an evil jerk!?”  Eiko cried from behind the safety of the princess.

“It’s not personal.  I have a mission to complete.  What a coincidence that you should be reborn as one of the only ones capable of helping me.  I realized it too late,” Garland admitted to his error of having the summoning tribe destroyed.

Garnet did not have time to reply, Garland was aware of the intrusion before the rest of her allies came in to view.

“Ah… interrupted again,” Garland said, irritation lacing his tone.

As if descending from heaven to be their guardian angels, Kuja, Zidane, and the rest of the party jumped down to the balcony from one of Cid’s air ships hovering just above them.

“Ah, my other angel of death appears,” Garland began.  “How fitting that you should arrive just as your predecessor is about to die.”

"I am no puppet," Zidane spat out. "I know what you had planned for me, and it's disgusting. You and your sick plans are done!" He hadn't quite believed the information about what Garnet had learned when she returned from Terra; and now Garland's words were proof enough.

“Enough games, Kuja, you have evaded me long enough,” Garland said, moving quickly before they had a chance to subdue him.

The white haired sorcerer had fixed himself in front of Garnet, prepared to protect her.  Garland would not be leaving without at least one summoner in his company.  He began turning the dials on the talisman, the light within growing brighter.  Kuja hissed in pain, falling down to one knee, his arms shaking.  He grit his teeth trying to remain upright.

“Stop it!” Garnet cried, kneeling down next to the struggling genome.

So, this is how he would die, brought to his knees by the same power he had spent his whole life trying to destroy.  His vision became cloudy, and his breathing labored.  Sweat beaded his forehead as he lethargically gazed in to the brown eyes of the panicking princess.

“It’s… it’s alright,” Kuja slurred, his head falling forward to rest against her own.  The feeling of her fingers digging in to his arms was fading.  A hollow, cold feeling settled in his chest, the only sound was that of his gasping breaths as he collapsed into Garnet’s arms.

“ _Please_ , leave him alone,” Garnet wept, his head resting on her shoulder as she held him close, as if that would somehow stop the inevitable.  Tears rolled down her cheeks and on to his neck as she buried her face in his shoulder.  "Don't leave me..."

“Don’t cry… my canary…”  Kuja tried to console her, his voice naught more than a breathy whisper as his trembling fingers came to trace her jaw line.  At least he wouldn’t have to be afraid anymore.  He could go peacefully in her arms.  There was still one matter at hand.  “Zidane… take… care of her… for me…”

The thief stared in disbelief at his dying brother.  This was insane, and his voice almost failed him when he went to respond.

“You can count on me,” Zidane replied, feeling more choked up than he was willing to admit.

“My… love for you… will never die,” Kuja said to her though his voice waned.  The corner of his lip curled up in one final smirk as he closed his eyes.  His brow furrowed as he tried to cling to life, to stay with her, but he could not keep the energy from draining out of him.

“No…” Garnet whimpered.  “You can’t," she gasped.   "I-… _I love you_ …”

"I… I can't say… I really… l…liked him, but this is just cruel," Vivi said.

"Well, we can't let this pass," Zidane said as he, Vivi, and Freya took over the fight while Eiko kneeled by Garnet.

"I've tried to heal him Eiko, I…" Garnet's voice cracked as tears continued to fall.

"It's alright Garnet… we'll… we'll figure something out," the young girl said supportively.

"Do you fools honestly believe that you can change fate? You're not strong enough to defeat me!" Garlands voice rang through the air, and Garnet looked over to see that the fight was not going in their favor. Even with the old man being injured badly, he was still holding his own. No wonder Kuja had wanted to find so much power to overthrow him.

Both Garnet's pendant and Eiko’s earing garnered a blinding light.  Two other similar gems in Eiko’s pocket began glowing as well.

“What is this?”  Garnet asked alarmed.  “Did you steal those from my mother?”  Eiko had the good graces to look bashful.  “Are these the unsealing stones?”

“These are all pieces of one of them,” Eiko explained.  “I think your uncle has the rest of the gems, but now that we have these, we can destroy them and stop that evil jerk once and for all!”

“Yes… but… why are they reacting like this?” Garnet asked.

Power crackled through the air, and the fragments of the gem pulled the summoners closer together.  Feeling the call of the Eidolon inside, the two joined hands, their eyes falling closed at the same time. 

“I can hear him,” Eiko said.  “There’s an eidolon sealed within this gem… and now that we have the pieces gathered together… He wants to help us… He wants to fight…  To protect you…”

“I… I can’t hear anything…” Garnet lamented.

“It is because… that fool of a woman… r- removed your summoner’s horn,” Kuja muttered weakly, barely clinging to life.  His head rested in the princess’ lap.  Cold sweat gave his pale skin an unhealthy sheen.  Shock was beginning to set in, and he would not last much longer.

“He says he can help us!”  Eiko said excitedly.  “We just need to set him free.”

Garnet hesitated before nodding her agreement.  What choice did that have?  Bahamut was destroying everything and her companions could not stand against Garland much longer.  Garnet laced her fingers with the younger girl’s, Eiko leading the chant that would call forth Alexander.  The words flowed from Garnet’s mouth as if she had known them her whole life.

"O holy guardian..."  
  
"Hear our prayers..."  
  
"Darkness descends over us once again..."

"O holy guardian... Hear our prayers... Deliver us out of darkness into light!"

Instantly a blue light formed between the two summoners and grew until it was encompassing the entirety of the castle.  Ethereal white wings sprouted from the center of their bastion; closing around them and protecting them from Bahamut’s continued onslaught of destruction.

“ _NO_!” Garland cried as Alexander let loose an offensive of holy power.

Bahamut was vanquished.

The talisman Garland had been using to siphon Kuja’s life away shattered from the force of the great eidolon’s strength.  

Garnet felt a cold terror seize at her soul when she looked down to the white haired man resting in her lap, it didn't look like he was breathing.  Her hands were shaking hard as she pressed a hand to his chest, feeling for a heart beat where there was none.

" _Kuja_?"  Garnet's voice cracked.  He did not respond, and she thought she was going to lose her mind.  "Please no," she whispered.  "Help me... please help me," the princess begged the Eidolon, her head tilting forward so that her lips brushed across Kuja's cold pale ones.  She felt a warmth flowing through her, and when she dared to pull away and open her eyes again the same holy light that had defeated Bahamut had enshrouded them once more.  This time, it's power was not of destruction, but of healing.  Kuja was reanimated, taking in a gasping breath as the light subsided.

"Garnet?" Kuja croaked out her name, lifting an unsteady hand to wipe the tears from her eyes as they started anew, although now they were tears of joy.  She covered the hand he had cradling her cheek with her own.

"Yes, it's okay," the princess whispered.

Alexander was poised to attack again, but the old man would not give it a chance.  With one last spell, he had crushed Zidane and his companions in to the ground before teleporting back to the invincible.  His voice echoed around them as though he were still battling them on the balcony.

_“You fools have interfered for the last time…  I will not allow you to stop me from my mission.  Keep the stones… I will find another way…”_

Alexander’s wings came around the castle again, trying to defend against the next attack that came from above.  The pure white wings began to wither beneath the wilting red rays coming from the invincible.  The eidolon was not able to withstand the onslaught.  The gems he had been sealed in began to crack and spark, a wave of power thrusting Eiko, Garnet, and Kuja away from one another.  The sword structure of the castle that embodied the eidolon fractured and shattered, breaking away from the central tower and crashing down through the terrace.  Zidane and the others barely avoided being taken down with the debris.

Garnet had tried to get to her feet, but the collapsing stone beneath her made it nearly impossible.  Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes as she was literally grasping at straws to prevent herself from falling to her death.

Garland’s attack had not only defeated Alexander, but was destroying the entire city.

The princess cried out as the structure continued to give way below her. 

Everything was happening too quickly, she was falling, and there was no one there to catch her…

Then, in the next instant, Kuja had appeared next to her.  His shoulders were heaving as he struggled against the fatigue of near death; he was hanging on to consciousness by spiders’ threads.  It would take some time for him to recover from Garland’s invention to limit his life, but at least he was no longer laying in her lap seconds away from passing on.  Only the need to protect the girl next to him kept him focused.

Garnet flung herself in to his arms as the balcony fully gave in and they were falling in midair.  Her head was tucked under his chin as the strange sensation that she had come to associate with teleportation came over them.  She had only done it once before and that was when Kuja had gotten them off of Terra.  All she could feel was the tremor in his shoulders as he held her in a crushing embrace.

The next thing she knew they were on a solid surface once more on the bow of the Hildagarde.  Zidane and the rest of the party had safely made it and surrounded the princess and Kuja who had used the last of his little restored energy to save her.  The white haired man was passed out and slumped against her once they were safely aboard, Garnet sitting back on her heels as she tried to support his weight.

The girl couldn’t help but heave a shaky sigh, holding Kuja tightly well after they had escaped the destruction of Alexandria.  She clung to him, cold tears rolling down her cheeks as her beloved kingdom was nearly burned to the ground before her eyes.

No one dared to separate them.

No one dared to say anything.

No one knew _what_ to say.

* * *

They retreated to Linblum to regroup when the news came a few hours later that the queen had been killed in the attack.  Garnet would have to return to her ruined city to for her coronation once some repairs had been made.

Kuja had slept for days coming in and out of consciousness for short amounts of time.  The princess barely left his side.  She had adamantly refused to return to Alexandria without him.  She refused to see anyone else.  Perhaps it was selfish to delay her duties, but he had nearly died.  She wouldn’t even still be here were it not for him.

“How long have I been out?” 

Garnet jerked, her attention turning to the white haired man lying next to her while she sat on the bed.

“You’ve been asleep for several days.  I was afraid you were never going to fully wake up,” Garnet said.  She shifted, rolling her hips so that she was now facing him.  She had spent many hours just sitting with him, starting out the window, thinking about what was and what was yet to come.

“I feel terrible,” Kuja was surprisingly honest with her in this moment.

“You almost died,” Garnet reminded him, her voice strained as she recalled the memory.

“You saved me,” the sorcerer responded, his voice cracking and giving away his exhaustion.

“The eidolon saved you… I didn’t know how.  I couldn’t even think straight,” Garnet lamented.

“You summoned him,” Kuja said.

“I wouldn’t have known were it not for Eiko… I can’t… I can’t hear the eidolons…”

“I know…”

Without warning, her lower lip trembled and she knew she was maybe two seconds from bursting in to tears.  She felt him move so that he could sit up next to her, dark circles lining his eyes.  The girl knew if she tried to speak her composure would be gone.  She swallowed hard, her watery eyes meeting his.  She had been so close to losing him.  Her mother was gone, and she had to somehow find a way to pick up the pieces.  She flinched when his fingers gently tucked her hair behind her ear.  Seeing her like this, so vulnerable, so lost, it actually pained him.

The princess’ brow furrowed as a sob choked its way out of her mouth, and he paused.  It was not long before she leaned in to him, her head resting on his shoulder.  She had not cried at all since that first night; had barely even spoken.  She was waiting for him.  He was the only one who had any chance of holding her together.

When she crumbled in his arms, he gathered her closer, allowing her to vent everything she had bottled up.  It was several minutes before she was calmed, and they lie next to one another.

“My mother was killed,” Garnet began.

Kuja had propped himself up against the head board, the girl tucked close to his side.

“You’ve not returned to take your throne?”  Kuja asked.

“Not without you,” Garnet answered, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.  How had it come to this?

“It will not take much for the people to find out that we were not actually wedded,” Kuja said.

“I don’t care about that right now,” Garnet sighed. 

“You should take care of your people, leave Garland to me.”  Kuja spoke softly as though that would somehow make her comply.

“ _No._ ”  She was obstinate as ever.

“They need you, and you would be safe,” Kuja continued.

“You won’t be,” Garnet argued.  “How will you defeat him on your own?”

“If it means protecting you, then I will find a way,” Kuja replied, cupping her cheek and wiping away the last of her tears with the pad of his thumb.

“If it means losing you, then we need to find another way,” Garnet whispered, closing her eyes and leaning in to his touch.

Kuja relented realizing that she refused to be reasoned with.  He would have to wait until after her coronation to take action against Garland, particularly if he wanted her to be out of harm’s way.  While the old man continued to exist, he would be nothing but a danger to her.

“I feel like I just got you back, don’t be in such a rush to leave me again,” Garnet implored.

“As you wish,” Kuja conceded, grasping her chin and tilting her head up.  She seemed uncertain, but not troubled as their eyes met.  The girl was resilient if nothing else and she did not back away when he let his head fall forward to brush his lips against hers.

He attempted to pull back from her and was surprised when she drew him close again.

“Are you sure this is wise?”  Kuja asked her.

“No.”  Her reply was simple.

Still…

That did not stop her from proceeding, curling closer to him and her arms looping around his neck.

“Garnet,” he sighed, what little restraint he had waning away at her continued caresses. 

“I need you,” she hummed.

It was next to impossible to deny her when she was practically begging for him, and yet… he could not override this need he had to protect her.  She was the other half of his soul, and even now, she wasn’t ready.  He wouldn’t have her, not like this, when her life was in shambles.  He couldn’t say he’d ever loved anything before her, and he was quite certain there would be nothing after her.  Perhaps Garland was right about one thing, Fate was hard to dissuade.  It had brought them together back in Terra, and had reunited them now.  He was becoming a different person because of her, already was…

“You need to rest,” Kuja reminded her gently, easing her back.

“You were the one who was injured,” Garnet countered, seeming to recall her self-control. 

"Yes, and as tempting as it is to stay in bed with you..." Kuja teased her, and she managed a small smile.  It did not light her eyes as it usually did when she smiled for him, and he was determined to find a way for her to be happy again.

The princess eventually left him for a while so he could get cleaned up.

* * *

 

The girl would delay returning to Alexandria for almost a month.

**Author's Note:**

> This story isn't beta'ed. I do my best to catch errors. Anyway, I really changed the story line around as I was re-writing. I feel like the only way this could work would be if they were previously involved in someway. Let me know what you think!


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